Study finds signs of self-medication in African elephants
A peer-reviewed study links locally observed plant use to possible treatment of illness, but calls the evidence preliminary.
African elephants in Kenya sometimes appear to seek out plants and other natural materials when they are ill. A new study in Scientific Reports bases that conclusion mainly on conversations with local experts and explicitly presents the finding as a hypothesis.
Researchers studied elephant behaviour in the region around Mount Elgon, on the border between Kenya and Uganda. They spoke to eight members of the local Sabaot community, including wildlife rangers, elders and people with long-standing knowledge of the area. The participants described plants that elephants reportedly eat selectively when ill or use for their young.
A total of 35 plant species were mentioned as potentially medicinal for elephants. Four types of soil, minerals or clay also featured in the accounts. The researchers identified the plants botanically and compared the reported uses with existing research into traditional use and pharmacological properties.
For eight plant species, the authors found indications they considered stronger than ordinary food choice. These included reports of elephants giving plants to sick animals or calves, or animals seeking out a plant at unusual times and places. Such observations may be consistent with self-medication, but do not prove that the animals understand a plant’s chemical effects.
The study also describes accounts of mother elephants supposedly giving certain plants to their calves with milk. Local participants linked this behaviour to protection against illness. The researchers regard that interpretation as part of local ecological and medical knowledge, not as an established medical effect.
The main limitation is that the research did not conduct controlled experiments. The authors did not systematically observe which elephant ate which plant, which condition was present, or whether the animal subsequently showed demonstrable recovery. The findings are therefore primarily intended to guide further research.
The research was published as a peer-reviewed article, rather than as a preprint. The authors say their inventory could provide a basis for systematic observation and research into the chemical properties of plants. This may be relevant to conservation: habitat degradation can restrict access to food and potentially important natural resources.
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The study data and the preliminary status of the conclusion were checked directly against the original article. The text clearly distinguishes between observations, local interpretations and proven effects.
- confirmed The study was published on 24 September 2026 in Scientific Reports. — The publication page gives the date and the version of record. source
- confirmed The researchers spoke to eight local experts from the Sabaot community. — This is stated in the abstract and methods section. source
- confirmed The study mentioned 35 plant species as potentially medicinal. — The article reports 35 plant species and four other natural resources. source
- confirmed For eight plant species, the researchers found indications that could be consistent with purposeful medicinal use. — The study classifies eight species as Mode 4 resources, but presents this as an indication. source
- confirmed The study does not prove that elephants understand the effects of plants or recover because of them. — This follows from the research design described and the limitations identified by the authors. source
Editor's note
The study is peer-reviewed and was published on 24 September, but the evidence consists mainly of interviews and indirect behavioural observations. Self-medication is a plausible interpretation, not an experimentally proven conclusion.Sources
- African elephants putatively self-medicate with medicinal plants in the Mount Elgon region, Kenya — Scientific Reports
- Afrikanische Elefanten und Heilpflanzen: Lokales Wissen liefert Hinweise auf mögliche Selbstmedikation — Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin
- Los elefantes se automedican con plantas medicinales que también usan los humanos — El País
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „olifanten zelfmedicatie”
- NU.nl — „olifanten zelfmedicatie”
- De Telegraaf — „olifanten zelfmedicatie”