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TAMPA (AFP) – Elephants never forget a bee sting
Their eyes and the delicate, soft tissue inside their trunk are particularly vulnerable to painful stings, and experts believe that African elephants (Loxodonta africana) have learned over the centuries to recognize the scents that bees emit when they are frightened and ready to swarm.
Now, researchers say that this fear sharpened bees could be used to help repel majestic animals in places where they risk conflict with humans
. During a three-month experiment in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, scientists hung white socks filled with bee pheromones, chemical clues that bees release from their bodies when they are free. they perceive a threat to their hive
25 of the 29 elephants who approached "showed typical signs of heightened alertness, signs of uncertainty, and finally calmly move away" said the report in the journal Current Biology.
To make sure that it was not just he socks but the smell emanating from them, the researchers hung similar socks that did not contain the pheromones, and found that elephants were curious about socks, picked them up and even tasted them sometimes.
The findings suggest that there might be a cheaper way to prevent conflict.
"Our results complement previous studies that have shown that active hives of bees can dissuade elephants from crops. for example, but can be difficult to implement on a large scale, "said lead author Mark Wright, professor of entomology at the Department of Plant Health Sciences and Environmental Protection. the University of Hawaii at Manoa
. work to develop additional tools for passive passive management of elephant movements, to augment the current approaches used. "
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