Racist Elephants?

[Erik Puke]

Elephants Classify Human Ethnic Groups by Odor and Garment Color

Animals can benefit from classifying predators or other dangers into categories, tailoring their escape strategies to the type and nature of the risk. Studies of alarm vocalizations have revealed various levels of sophistication in classification. In many taxa, reactions to danger are inflexible, but some species can learn the level of threat presented by the local population of a predator or by specific, recognizable individuals. Some species distinguish several species of predator, giving differentiated warning calls and escape reactions; here, we explore an animal's classification of subgroups within a species. We show that elephants distinguish at least two Kenyan ethnic groups and can identify them by olfactory and color cues independently. In the Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya, young Maasai men demonstrate virility by spearing elephants (Loxodonta africana), but Kamba agriculturalists pose little threat. Elephants showed greater fear when they detected the scent of garments previously worn by Maasai than by Kamba men, and they reacted aggressively to the color associated with Maasai. Elephants are therefore able to classify members of a single species into subgroups that pose different degrees of danger.

source: Current Biology -- Report

(via Yann Klimentidis)

[BeornWulfWer]

Elephants are therefore able to classify members of a single species into subgroups

Shh! What's that sound?.......is that the far off thunder of multicultural,liberals,PC brigaders marching upon Elephants worldwide to silence their racist ways?

[Menydh]

The supposed colour detector of ethnic groups must surely be a little defective. I mean, what if a Chinese approached the elephants from far away, dressed like a Massai?

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

The supposed colour detector of ethnic groups must surely be a little defective. I mean, what if a Chinese approached the elephants from far away, dressed like a Massai?

Oh, I think the odds of that happening are very low. I'm not an elephant myself, but I have never been approached from faraway by a Chinaman dressed as a Maasai.

My guess is that the different diets of the two tribesmen may have an effect. What people eat can make them smell different and the elephants may be able to sense that.

[Truth-Finder]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

The supposed colour detector of ethnic groups must surely be a little defective. I mean, what if a Chinese approached the elephants from far away, dressed like a Massai?

I don't know animal detectors can be more complex that one might beleive, animals can even recognize when two persons are relative, moreover do not forget that they also make play odours ; Massai would use some corporal scents that chinese don't.
Who knows? they may be are also able to recognise human races and make the diffrence between a black nad a mongoloid...not withstanding their clothings ...

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Errigal

Oh, I think the odds of that happening are very low. I'm not an elephant myself, but I have never been approached from faraway by a Chinaman dressed as a Maasai.

Still I wonder if an elephant could tell apart, from far away.

[Truth-Finder]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

Still I wonder if an elephant could tell apart, from far away.

An elpehant could make perfectly the diffrence from far away yet, his attitude would be as aggresive as if he saw a Massai, because it is also very well known that elephants are much sensitive to dressing bad taste (J/K)


Nah, seriously speaking I think they could perfectly make the difference. Elpehnats are very well known also for their memory and can recognize a person's face after several years, I heard

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

Still I wonder if an elephant could tell apart, from far away.

...

I would guess the elephant would treat the Chinaman in a red robe as a Maasai.

[Susi]

I would say that it could due to differences in diet (the smell factor) as well as the fact that the Asian isn't pitch black