By Roxanne Reid
Elephants are endlessly fascinating. But in Etosha National Park this winter, we were privileged to see a rare elephant behaviour, so rare that not even elephant scientists have often witnessed it in the wild.
Elephants are endlessly fascinating. But in Etosha National Park this winter, we were privileged to see a rare elephant behaviour, so rare that not even elephant scientists have often witnessed it in the wild.
Elephants are an essential part of the magic that is Namibia's Etosha National Park
The rains had been really poor, so there wasn’t a drop of water in the famous Etosha Pan, which meant no water-birds, waders, and most disappointingly no flamboyance of flamingos. But it also meant the waterholes – springs, artesian wells or boreholes, it didn’t matter – were hives of activity.
At Rietfontein waterhole two young bull elephants were having a head-butting competition. One was dark grey, being wet from a full-immersion swim. The other was white-grey from the Etosha dust and mud, so it was an interesting picture of contrasts.
At Rietfontein waterhole two young bull elephants were having a head-butting competition. One was dark grey, being wet from a full-immersion swim. The other was white-grey from the Etosha dust and mud, so it was an interesting picture of contrasts.
Two-tone elephants at Rietfontein, Etosha
Another day at Kalkheuwel waterhole, and a breeding herd of about 50 elephant, including lots of little ones and three really tiny calves, still hairy and pink behind the ears. We watched them for a long time, the littles tripping over the rocks, walking under mom’s belly to get into the shade, attempting a handstand, nose and front legs into the ground, fat bum in the air.
That they don’t get trampled in that forest of massive legs is testimony to the adult elephants’ care of the young. A car came in too close and too noisily; immediately older ellies huddled protectively around the little ones, pushing them to the centre of the scrum, keeping them from harm.
That they don’t get trampled in that forest of massive legs is testimony to the adult elephants’ care of the young. A car came in too close and too noisily; immediately older ellies huddled protectively around the little ones, pushing them to the centre of the scrum, keeping them from harm.
Elephants coming to drink at Kalkheuwel waterhole, Etosha
When some of the ellies finished drinking, they stood waiting patiently for the rest who were still snorkelling up water by the trunkful.
And that’s when we saw something we’d never seen before, in more than 20 years of watching elephants throughout southern Africa.
One of the waiting elephants reached out to pick up a piece of ellie dung in its trunk. Slowly but deliberately, it placed the dung ball in its mouth then reached down for another. Before long, a little one made like a copy cat and ate a few pieces of its own.
And that’s when we saw something we’d never seen before, in more than 20 years of watching elephants throughout southern Africa.
One of the waiting elephants reached out to pick up a piece of ellie dung in its trunk. Slowly but deliberately, it placed the dung ball in its mouth then reached down for another. Before long, a little one made like a copy cat and ate a few pieces of its own.
We saw two elephants eating dung at Kalkheuwel waterhole, Etosha
Scientists call this shit-eating behaviour coprophagy and it’s fairly common in hares and rabbits, rats and mice. Dogs and pigs also do it from time to time.
But according to elephant boffin Dr Keith Leggett it’s not common in elephants and rarely recorded.
‘I can’t work out whether this is because most observers don’t like the behaviour and so ignore it or it is truly rare,’ he says.
He recorded it a few times in the arid zones of Namibia, when it coincided with the first leaf flush of a particular commiphora species. At such times, he reckons, it’s probably to get hold of a gut bacteria that might help to digest plant material.
But according to elephant boffin Dr Keith Leggett it’s not common in elephants and rarely recorded.
‘I can’t work out whether this is because most observers don’t like the behaviour and so ignore it or it is truly rare,’ he says.
He recorded it a few times in the arid zones of Namibia, when it coincided with the first leaf flush of a particular commiphora species. At such times, he reckons, it’s probably to get hold of a gut bacteria that might help to digest plant material.
Elephant mum and her calf, Etosha
But since we saw this behaviour early in the dry season, it’s nothing to do with the commiphora plant. In this case, he says, it’s probably due to the harsh environmental times, with little vegetation available. The elephants need a little more bulk in their diet and eating dung makes up for it. Remember that elephants only digest about 20% of the vegetation they eat, so there’s 80% more nutrition available in their dung.
‘Without getting too graphic about it (and it’s really not my favourite subject),’ says Leggett, ‘if elephants have runny, liquid bowel movement then it’s probably a gut bacteria question; if the dung is dried out or solid, then it’s a food bulk question.’
And of course the calves are just mimicking the adults.
So now you know: elephants, like rats and rabbits, will sometimes eat their own poo. It's rare, but it happens.
Have you ever witnessed this in the wild? Let us know in the comments below.
More about Etosha
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And of course the calves are just mimicking the adults.
So now you know: elephants, like rats and rabbits, will sometimes eat their own poo. It's rare, but it happens.
Have you ever witnessed this in the wild? Let us know in the comments below.
More about Etosha
Like it? Pin this image!
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