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Young World

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Scent of family

Photo: V. V. Krishnan.

Keeping track: What’s the rest of the family up to?

Elephants keep track of up to 30 absent relatives by sniffing out their scent and building up a mental map of where they are, research suggests. Herd members use their good memory and keen sense of smell to stay in touch as they travel in large groups, according to a study of wild elephants in Kenya. The University of St. Andrews studied 36 family groups of elephants living in Amboseli National Park. The research is published in the Royal Society journal, Bio logy Letters. Wild elephants form matriarchal family groups which travel, hunt for food, and socialise together. Individuals need to keep track of each other, as family members split up into smaller groups or overtake companions as they wander the home range.

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Young World

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