Researchers at Berlin Zoo were impressed by the “inventive” and “expressive” use of a hose by an Asian elephant named Mary, who was observed using the hose to bathe herself in a unique way.
Neurobiologist Michael Brecht, from Berlin’s Humboldt University, told Reuters on Sunday (10) that Mary’s ability to use the hose to spray water on her back was “exceptional”, highlighting her among the five elephants studied.
Brecht also highlighted Mary’s creativity in using “lassoes” to reach her back while bathing, suggesting that her expressive behavior could be a kind of performance for the other elephants. “We saw that it was really very inventive and revealing that she has a good understanding of tools, as she uses these loops when she wants to reach her back,” explained the researcher.
“Look at me, I have the hose, I have the attention,” Brecht joked, interpreting Mary’s actions.
The study, published in *Current Biology*, adds to the growing evidence on tool use by non-human species, challenging previous notions about animal cognition.
The research also observed another elephant, Anchali, trying to interrupt Mary’s bath by manipulating the hose, further illustrating the complexity of elephant behavior.
This content was originally published in Elefanta Mary impresses scientists by using a hose to take a shower on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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