Kenyan Elephants Mix Plant Remedies with Milk to Treat Their Young

Scientists from the Bernard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine have provided evidence that mother elephants near Mount Elgon in western Kenya create medicinal concoctions for their calves. The elephants were seen selecting at least 35 distinct plant species and four types of mineral soils, chewing them, and mixing the resulting paste with their breast milk before feeding it to unwell youngsters. The researchers describe the foraging as purposeful rather than random, marking the first known instance of an animal both formulating and delivering medicine to conspecifics.

Local scouts, park rangers and community elders initially reported the behavior, which was later supported by the Mount Elgon Foundation. The plants involved are known in Indigenous medicine for antibacterial, anti-inflammatory or antiparasitic effects, and similar practices have been noted in pregnant elephants. The study warns that habitat loss could deprive elephants of these vital resources, underscoring the need for conservation.