Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts • Hacker News Board

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#11

Post by lostlogin » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:20 AM UTC

Monk_NT wrote: post #10

gingernaut wrote: post #4

Very interesting. I think it's unlikely that we are the only species that ingests materials/chemicals that make us feel good, aside from providing any nutritional value.

Some bird species eat fermented berries to get drunk. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141203-drun...

Native wood pigeons, Kereru, do this in New Zealand. Stumbling on a drunk one is always memorable.

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#12

Post by hbarka » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:21 AM UTC

I think some are too eager to project human vice and behavior onto an animal. It makes for a good story and we’re willing to delude ourselves, even professional observers. The article even used the word “puffing” and “smoking”—there was neither. It was clearly blowing the dust out before ingesting the bituminous material. If it had been liquid it was blowing away we’d read that it was having a swig and a swill of spirits. All it needs is a smoking jacket. The authors are the ones smoking something.

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#13

Post by tim_hutton » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:22 AM UTC

It's just a cloud of dust? From the thing that the elephant picked up off the dusty ground?

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#14

Post by randomerr » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:30 AM UTC

tim_hutton wrote: post #13

It's just a cloud of dust? From the thing that the elephant picked up off the dusty ground?

Dust clouds are usually an off-color from the decay of organic matter or crushed rock. Since this is in a forest setting I would discount that it is crushed rock. If the item was on fire I would think the elephant would spit it out. My guess is mushroom spores or a chemical reaction with something growing there. No matter what the elephant sure thought it was tasty.

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#15

Post by rectangletangle » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:33 AM UTC

Monk_NT wrote: post #10

gingernaut wrote: post #4

Very interesting. I think it's unlikely that we are the only species that ingests materials/chemicals that make us feel good, aside from providing any nutritional value.

Some bird species eat fermented berries to get drunk. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141203-drun...

Animal drunkenness is a well documented phenomena. Many species of monkeys and apes will "recreationally drink," given the opportunity. Interestingly enough, the rate of "alcoholism" among many simians is inline with that of humans.

(skip to 0:55) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIDJ-sTuoO8

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#16

Post by konart » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:38 AM UTC

I'm pretty sure it's just ash from a campfire or something. It's often used agains some parasites in the garden.

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#17

Post by thawkins » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:38 AM UTC

It's likely it's using the ash or charcoal to self-treat a stomach problem, animals are known to ingest non food substances to clear problems, charcoal, chalk, dogs eat grass when suffering from gastric problems.

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#18

Post by haihaibye » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:39 AM UTC

"Smoking I find the most ridiculous of all the varieties of human behavior and practically the only one that is entirely against nature. Can you imagine a cow or any animal taking a mouthful of smoldering straw then breathing in the smoke and blowing it out through its nostrils?" - Ian Flemming, Goldfinger.

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#19

Post by Kenji » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:39 AM UTC

Footage of an Asian elephant “smoking” in a forest in southern India has baffled wildlife experts, who say the behaviour has never before been observed.

I wonder how many experts would be baffled simply by following around and video taping one single human, finding behaviour "never before observed".

Re: Elephant 'smoking' footage baffles experts

#20

Post by elefanten » Wed, Mar 28, 2018, 6:41 AM UTC

hbarka wrote: post #12

I think some are too eager to project human vice and behavior onto an animal. It makes for a good story and we’re willing to delude ourselves, even professional observers. The article even used the word “puffing” and “smoking”—there was neither. It was clearly blowing the dust out before ingesting the bituminous material. If it had been liquid it was blowing away we’d read that it was having a swig and a swill of spi…

Yeah, I agree with this interpretation. They held back and put it in quotes the first time they wrote it. But the second time they simply referred to it as "blowing out a gust of smoke."

It's dust and ash, not smoke.