Forest elephants use farms as pharmacies 0 6

A new study suggests that elephants use agricultural crops as a kind of natural pharmacy for self-medication. The animals deliberately eat the stems and leaves of banana and papaya — plants that contain substances capable of helping in the fight against parasites.

Scientists found a link between increased levels of parasites in elephant feces and the increased consumption of these plants. At the same time, caloric fruits often remain untouched, indicating a choice driven not by nutritional value but by possible medicinal effects.

This behavior aligns with the risk-benefit balance theory: despite the danger of conflict with humans, the potential health benefits outweigh the short-term risks for sick animals.

The authors of the study believe that this discovery could help reduce conflicts between humans and elephants — for example, by creating alternative sources of medicinal plants or relocating farms further away from wildlife routes. In the long term, understanding the mechanisms by which elephants cope with diseases could also be beneficial for human medicine.