When the elders fall silent — how the loss of elephant matriarchs fractures a society

$When the elders fall silent — how the loss of elephant matriarchs fractures a society$

Families communicate in many ways – sound, touch and vibrations. (Photo: Don Pinnock)

25 May 2025

From bees to whales, it’s increasingly acknowledged that creatures have cultures within which they live their daily lives. This is particularly true for elephants, and the loss of matriarchs is leading to severe social disruption. It’s a crisis for elephant culture across Africa and Asia.

Knowledge among elephants is passed through the footsteps and memories of their elders using vocalisations, vibrations and chemical, tactile and visual signals. Because of poaching, habitat destruction and human interventions, a crisis is unfolding: the social transmission that binds elephant societies is breaking down.

Without their matriarchs – the living libraries of their kind – elephants are increasingly adrift in a world reshaped by humans.

A new study led by a team of top elephant scientists and published by the Royal Society, has shone a light on this hidden dimension of elephant conservation. It warns that when experienced elephants are lost, the very fabric of elephant society unravels. This breakdown in knowledge transfer between generations threatens not just individuals, but entire populations.

The study, led by Dr Lucy Bates from the University of Portsmouth, shows how social learning from older elephants underpins the very fabric of elephant life. And when those elders are killed, entire herds can lose their way.

“Elephants are among the most intelligent and socially complex animals on the planet,” said Bates. “Our findings suggest that when their social structures are disrupted – whether through poaching, translocation or habitat loss – the consequences can ripple through generations, affecting survival, reproduction and even behaviour.”

The research represents the most comprehensive review to date on the subject. Drawing on 95 peer-reviewed studies spanning African savannah, African forest and Asian elephant populations, the team found that human-caused disturbances – especially poaching and culling – have a profound impact on elephant social networks.

At the heart of these networks are the matriarchs: older females who lead herds, guide migrations, remember watering holes and alert younger elephants to dangers. Their role is not symbolic – it is practical, essential and learnt over decades.

The study shows that younger elephants naturally cluster around these elders, soaking up knowledge in a process not unlike mentorship in human cultures. But when poachers target the biggest tusks – often belonging to these very leaders – the knowledge pipeline is severed.

“Elders are the keepers of knowledge in elephant societies,” Bates explained. “Their loss disrupts the transmission of essential survival skills, much like losing a library in human terms. Conserving these social ties is as important as protecting their physical habitats.”

Elephant culture Mother-and-daughter bonds last a lifetime. (Photo: Don Pinnock)

Without elders, herds become less cohesive, calves face lower survival rates and elephants may make poor decisions when confronted with predators or human threats. In some disrupted populations, elephants have responded to unfamiliar predators inappropriately or failed to access critical resources during droughts because the knowledge of those water sources was never passed down.

The consequences extend beyond individual survival. Elephant societies rely on complex social bonds that influence breeding, care of the young and cooperation between groups. When those bonds are weakened, the fabric of society itself begins to fray.

The research highlights how such disruption may lead to reduced reproductive success and increased mortality, with effects potentially lasting generations.

Graeme Shannon, co-author from Bangor University’s School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, underscores the broader implications: “This research provides a fresh perspective on why elephant conservation must go beyond numbers. While protecting habitats is crucial, so too is recognising the importance of the social and cultural factors central to elephant society. Without them, long-term conservation success may not be possible.”

The study’s findings challenge traditional conservation approaches that focus mainly on habitat protection and population counts. Instead, the authors argue for a more holistic strategy – one that safeguards not only elephant bodies but also their social structures and the elders who anchor them.

Their recommendations are clear:

Protect key individuals: Conservation efforts must prioritise safeguarding matriarchs and other experienced elephants to maintain the flow of knowledge within herds;

Monitor translocation impacts: When elephants are moved to new habitats, the social consequences on both the source and destination populations need careful evaluation; and

Expand research on forest and Asian elephants: Much of the existing knowledge is biased towards African savannah elephants, leaving critical gaps in understanding other species that face intense conservation challenges.

The study also calls attention to the intertwined fates of elephants and humans. As elephants share landscapes with growing human populations, conflicts are inevitable – but so are opportunities for coexistence. Preserving the cultural knowledge of elephants may benefit not only the species but also the ecological systems and human communities that depend on them.

“Understanding and safeguarding the social lives of elephants is no longer optional,” Shannon added. “It’s a necessity for ensuring these magnificent animals thrive in an increasingly human-dominated world.”

This focus on culture echoes a growing recognition in the scientific community that non-human animals have complex cultures, with learnt behaviours transmitted socially rather than genetically.

Elephant culture Families communicate in many ways – sound, touch and vibrations. (Photo: Don Pinnock)

Just as whales pass on hunting techniques and chimpanzees teach tool use, elephants hand down migration routes, predator recognition and social etiquette through generations. The loss of elders, therefore, is not just a demographic loss – it’s cultural extinction.

The stakes are high. In some regions, says the report, decades of poaching have hollowed out elephant populations, leaving behind orphaned generations that lack guidance. These elephants may grow up more aggressive, more fearful or simply less competent in navigating a landscape increasingly shaped by human activities. The study warns that such behavioural shifts can have cascading ecological effects, from altered seed dispersal patterns to increased human-wildlife conflict.

Some projects now prioritise protecting matriarchs or reuniting disrupted family groups. But Bates and her colleagues argue that more needs to be done to integrate social dynamics into policy and practice.

“There is an urgent need to incorporate social dynamics and cultural knowledge into elephant conservation strategies as habitat destruction and poaching escalate,” the study concludes.

This research adds to a growing body of evidence that conservation must move beyond biological metrics to embrace the social and cultural dimensions of animal life. For elephants, as for humans, survival is not just about having enough to eat or a place to live – it’s about having elders to learn from, stories to guide them and a community to belong to.

As the world grapples with biodiversity loss and environmental change, the lesson is clear: protecting species means protecting their cultures. And for elephants, that means ensuring that the matriarchs – the living libraries of the savannah and forest – are still there to lead the way. DM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REeWvTRUpMk

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