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The big topic for today is Elephants. Attacks by elephants are on the rise worldwide. The New York Times Magazine dated Oct. 8, 2006 has a front-page story titled “Are We Driving Elephants Crazy?” Apparently, elephants of decimated herds have exhibited behavior typically associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Loss of habitat, culling of herds, and poaching has taken a more devastating toll on those pesky pachyderm's society and ‘culture’ than we ever imagined. The elder matriarchs and caregivers as well as the elder bulls play an important role in keeping the younger males in line. The females teach proper behavior and give the support necessary to deal with the stress, empathy and social regulation. With their absence or reduction from the herd, a very aggressive behavior has been on the rise that mimics post-traumatic distress disorder such as “abnormal startle response, unpredictable asocial behavior, inattentive mothering and hyperaggression.” Similar to humans, emotional attachments to caregivers affect the emotional growth. If the experience is a negative one, for example with the baby elephant witnessing slaughter of its mother or other family member, psychological damage occurs. This negative experience “impairs normal brain and behavior development in young elephants.” When a matriarchal elephant is introduced into a wayward herd or one with relatively young members, she succeeds in bringing about a more recognized social order.
This article illustrates just another example of the irresponsibility of humans towards other members of our planet. It is quite sad to be aware of the collapse of a once thriving society especially since man has been the cause. One can only see a reflection of the failures of human society played out in the animal realm. How have parents emotionally scarred their children? Has the breakdown in the fabric of our society and the loss of its close-knit base added to the aggressive asocial behavior of many of its individuals? Is it to late to rehabilitate our society? Are we going mad (or am I just projecting)?