STUDY: ELEPHANTS LIKE PEOPLE

A new study finds that elephants in captivity appear to enjoy hanging around humans. The study, published in the journal Animals and conducted by researchers at Nottingham Trent and Harper Adams universities in the UK, took a look at previous papers regarding zoo animal behavior and found that elephants appear to react positively to the presence of humans. They found that the more visitors showed up to public feedings, the less elephants moped around, and the more they engaged in healthy active behaviors like foraging. Along with elephants, the British researchers found that other animals including “penguins, jaguars, grizzly bears, polar bears, cheetahs, servals, and black-tailed prairie dogs” seemed to exhibit positive responses to visitors.
* This has nothing to do with the fact that when humans show up, so does the food, right? No connection? Right?
* Elephants say they enjoy our quick wit, our honesty and the way we’re not afraid to show our vulnerability.
* The researchers “took a look at previous papers”? So they can determine all this from sitting in the library and reading other people’s research papers? That’s good research!
* “These are the results we found in the previous results.”
* So I guess when animals attack zoo workers and Sea World employees they’re just having a cranky day.