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Elephants are craftier than we imagined - and carry out raids on crops when the nights are at their darkest.

Scientists found that their foraging expeditions in Africa tend to vary with the lunar cycle.

They found that fewer raids took place during a full moon - when farmers are more likely to spot the animals plundering their crops.
Researchers found that African elephants picked the darkest nights to raid crop fields

The amount of crop damage also fell during the full moon phase, the research in and around Tanzania’s Mikumi National Park revealed.

Five villages on the park’s northern boundary were selected for the British research, which recorded examples of elephants plundering crops being grown close to and within human settlements.

Co-author of the study Dr Rachel Grant, lecturer in animal behaviour at Anglia Ruskin University, said: ‘Our results support the belief that elephants alter their behaviour to reduce the risks of encountering humans.’

She said the fact they raid crops ‘almost exclusively’ at night indicates they only go near villages when they feel they are harder to discover.

Dr Grant said: ‘An elephant’s awareness of the higher risk of being detected on moonlit nights, because of the visual advantage gained by humans, could account for the changes in their behaviour during the lunar cycle and explain why elephants are less likely to venture close to villages during the full moon.
The amount of crop damage also fell during the full moon phase, the research in and around Tanzania's Mikumi National Park revealed

The amount of crop damage also fell during the full moon phase, the research in and around Tanzania's Mikumi National Park revealed

‘Some animals that vary their activity according to the lunar cycle have an internally arising biological rhythm; alternatively they may be basing their decision making on local conditions at the time.

‘Many animals alter their behaviour according to varying light levels and the perceived risk of predation, and this is likely to be a partly evolved, partly learned response.’

The research, published in the African Journal of Ecology, could be used to help protect farms from damage by elephants.

Any bush African or PH could have told them that without an expensive study!

465H&H

Same is true for car thieves and burglars. There, no need for that study either.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Same is true for car thieves and burglars. There, no need for that study either.

True, but if one wishes to end the career of these night time critters, one apparently needs a good criminal attorney too Mike!

It does raise the issue of the intelligence of the animals; but I think we'd all agree that elephants are more intellegent than human car theives and burglars (all Deemocrats, no doubt).

Without a doubt!

I suppose that there will now be a study commisioned to figure out a way to get the moon to stick around a bit more?

lavaca quote; all Deemocrats, all great believers in deemorkrasee.