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The grief of elephants

Published 2:22 pm, Friday, August 10, 2012
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Planet Earth lost a passionate advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves this past March. But the most extraordinary aspect of this story is how a herd of wild elephants in a game reserve in South Africa paid their respects to the death of their man-friend and protector, Lawrence Anthony.

Anthony, a world-renowned conservationist, environmentalist, explorer and best-selling author -- one of his most famous books was "The Elephant Whisperer" -- died of a heart attack on March 2 at his home on the Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, South Africa.

According to his wife, Francoise, two days after her husband's death, 20 elephants, led by two large matriarchs, showed up outside their house. The elephants had walked for more than 12 miles from their habitat in single file to reach their friend's house.

Why did the elephants come? How did they know that their old friend had died or was about to? How did they know to find their friend's house after more than a year's absence?

Animal researchers have always remarked about the memory and intelligence of elephants, but the human emotion of loss these animals demonstrated over the death of their friend was nothing less than incredible. Or was it?

Lawrence Anthony had a reputation for bold animal conservation initiatives. He launched a one-man rescue of animals at the Baghdad Zoo at the height of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, saving 35 animals who survived out of the original 650 to 700 there before the war. Anthony wrote a book -- "Babylon's Ark" --about the experience.

He also negotiated with the infamous Lord's Resistance Army in southern Sudan to raise awareness of the environment and protect endangered species, including the last of the Northern White Rhinoceros. I visited South Africa in April and saw firsthand the brutal killing of the rhinos to acquire the powder from the animal's horn. It's thought to have magical medicinal qualities, but experts view it more as witch doctor medicine.

But Anthony's private focus was the rehabilitation of traumatized African elephants. He had developed a unique relationship with a wild herd of elephants on the Thula Thula Reserve in Zululand.

These were the elephants that showed up at Anthony's house to pay their respects to their special friend. It was their way of silently saying goodbye to a man who recognized their humanity and valued their lives. It is also a remarkable proof that so-called dumb animals have the capacity to grieve and mourn the loss of those close to them. Humans don't own the market on that emotion.

Anthony's wife said the herd of elephants remained outside the house for two days and two nights as a sort of post-mortem vigil. On the morning of the third day, they had left, making the long, slow trek back home.

Perhaps the answer to the gathering of wild elephants at Anthony's death was simply a living demonstration of the Buddhist belief: that all life -- from the human species to the smallest insect -- is connected and precious. And that all forms of life should be respected and protected.

What a refreshing idea at this moment in history when life in America and around the globe is racked by war, terrorism, and the recent killing of members of the Sikh religion, people who believe in treating everyone equally, being generous to the less fortunate and serving others.

What's wrong with this picture?

Robert Stokes is a writer living in Westport.