Research warns elephants living isolated lives as social circles shrink

UC San Diego researchers studied more than 400 elephants at the Udawalawe National Park in Sri Lanka. (UERP via SWNS) By Talker By Stephen BeechElephants are living increasingly isolated lives — leading to fractured social networks, warns new research.Along with a worrying decline in numbers, scientists say a “tipping point” may have been reached for the highly social species.They explained that Asian elephants, just like humans, thrive in well-established community networks.Elephants flourish in groups that work together to access food and care for their young, among other social bonds.But American scientists studying the intricacies of Asian elephant community structures have documented a “troubling” downturn in the population of the animals resulting in fractured social communities. Asian elephants thrive in groups that work together to access food and care for their young.

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