The way it probably looked so … for some to think it ate a human body, yet what the elephant in rage has probably done is to trample the body and mashed it up … literally. An elephant having lost a calf to human interference or having been beaten one time to many can produce that kind of rage.
Man-eating elephants ?
- Thread starter vogelcommando
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The way it probably looked so … for some to think it ate a human body, yet what the elephant in rage has probably done is to trample the body and mashed it up … literally. An elephant having lost a calf to human interference or having been beaten one time to many can produce that kind of rage.
Thanks @Paradoxurus for quoting the whole background story; this clears up the whole thing. Just like I said-no man-eating elephant there. However, this illustrates how easily rumors can develop, and urban legends can be vorn out of incorrectly remembered incidents.
Continuing with the discussion about the macabre photograph, in Hediger’s book, that depicts the remains of woman found in the elephant den at Zurich Zoo:-
As has already been previously mentioned, Hediger specifically states that “none of the corpse had been eaten”.
However in Clive Spinage’s book “Elephants” ( Poyser Natural History; 1994) the author claims there is an “authenticated case” of a young woman eaten by the Asiatic elephant ‘Chang’ in Zurich Zoo. I think that Hediger’s version is more believable (although, incidentally, I seem to recall reading somewhere that ‘Chang’ subsequently killed a zoo keeper too).
In the same book, Spinage ghoulishly mentions that elephants in Sri Lanka have been recorded as digging up decomposed human bodies from their graves and eating the skeletons “presumably for their mineral content”.
As has already been previously mentioned, Hediger specifically states that “none of the corpse had been eaten”.
However in Clive Spinage’s book “Elephants” ( Poyser Natural History; 1994) the author claims there is an “authenticated case” of a young woman eaten by the Asiatic elephant ‘Chang’ in Zurich Zoo. I think that Hediger’s version is more believable (although, incidentally, I seem to recall reading somewhere that ‘Chang’ subsequently killed a zoo keeper too).
In the same book, Spinage ghoulishly mentions that elephants in Sri Lanka have been recorded as digging up decomposed human bodies from their graves and eating the skeletons “presumably for their mineral content”.
Elephas Maximus
Well-Known Member
And such seemingly peaceful ungulates as deer are known to kill & eat smaller creatures on purpose (birds or rodents) to receive mineral supply from their bones.
So if an elephant discovers such possibility (for example, while inspecting remains of dead human or other animal before) it would make use of the trampled victim.
So if an elephant discovers such possibility (for example, while inspecting remains of dead human or other animal before) it would make use of the trampled victim.
@Tim May: The Spinage example is a nice example of what I alreay wrote: authors just retelling incidents without checking its validity. So much about an “authenticated case”...
@Elephas Maximus: it is possible that individual elephants might try human remains as potential sources of food (just like some individuals actively hunt for fishes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WEuDFjDdU4). However, so far no case of such behaviour has been documented in zoos, nor has the active predation and consequent consumption of humans by elephants.
The "lady eaten by elephant in European zoo"-just another urban legend.
@Elephas Maximus: it is possible that individual elephants might try human remains as potential sources of food (just like some individuals actively hunt for fishes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WEuDFjDdU4). However, so far no case of such behaviour has been documented in zoos, nor has the active predation and consequent consumption of humans by elephants.
The "lady eaten by elephant in European zoo"-just another urban legend.
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I agree.
Despite the fact that Spinage referred to it as an “authenticated case”, as I mentioned in my earlier post, I think that Hediger’s description is more plausible.
(I supplied Spinage’s comment as I thought it was interesting that another source differed from Hediger; I wasn’t implying that Spinage was correct.)
Alas one has to contend that apparently for scientists checking / authenticating storylines and / or myths in natural history can be / remains a challenging task.
The consumption of mineral nutrients from bone material of decomposing bodies has been documented - I believe - in at least a few hoofstock species. That elephants may do so is thus somewhat believable.
However, it is a far cry from stating that herbivores (by nature foliage consuming mammals) would consume animal matter or body parts ...
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@Kifaru Bwana: regarding herbivores consuming animal matter or body parts (or even whole animals): some examples have already been mentioned here; actually, it isn't that uncommon.
I'm sure the carnivorous tendencies of several duiker species is no novelity to you. That other ungulates (deer, bovines) might not be the strict herbivores we always assume them to be, is also quite often observed. For reference, a short article (including the infamous "Swiss man-eating elephant"
)
Lal the chicken-eating cow – Tetrapod Zoology
Examples of osteophagia in giraffes and other ungulates:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BgRfom6wRs
Osteophagia and bone modifications by giraffe and other large ungulates
I'm sure the carnivorous tendencies of several duiker species is no novelity to you. That other ungulates (deer, bovines) might not be the strict herbivores we always assume them to be, is also quite often observed. For reference, a short article (including the infamous "Swiss man-eating elephant"
)Lal the chicken-eating cow – Tetrapod Zoology
Examples of osteophagia in giraffes and other ungulates:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BgRfom6wRs
Osteophagia and bone modifications by giraffe and other large ungulates