Elephant society 'still disrupted decades after cull'

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

1 November 2013 Last updated at 00:07 GMT

Elephant society 'still disrupted decades after cull'

By Victoria Gill
Science reporter, BBC News

African elephants' decision-making abilities are left impaired by culling operations that ended decades ago, University of Sussex research suggests.

A study found that elephant herds that lost adults to culls during the 1970s and 1980s were less able to respond appropriately to other elephant calls.

Lead researcher Prof Karen McComb said the animals' "social understanding" had been impaired by the loss of adults.

The results are published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24754682

[immoderate]

1. It's understandable.

Not saying this is analogous, but think about how human judgement was "disrupted" by say, the inquisition.

--imm

[BainsBane]

2. The plague would be a better example

because of the toll on the population.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Or post-Columbian America ... nt