An incident which happened recently has shown that elephants like humans, grieve for the dead by frequently visiting their graves, kissing their bodies with their trunks and rocking to and fro with grief.
A herd of mourning elephants refusing to abandon their dead friend's body at the Chobe National Park in Botswana
Heartbreaking footage who showed the emotional moment a herd of mourning elephants refusing to abandon their dead friend's carcass who had to be put down by park rangers after he broke his leg at the Chobe National Park in Botswana.
According to
Dailymail, a touching video shows his friends watching over his body, with one elephant stroking him with his trunk.
It was gathered that the carcass had been opened up by spotted hyenas and jackals at the national park, before a pack of lions descended on to the body. The herd of elephants later found the remains and refused to leave the body.
The animals can also be seen flapping their ears in the footage, posted by Tracking The Wild, in an attempt to cool down in the heat.
Researchers have found that elephants, like humans, grieve for the dead by frequently visiting their graves, 'kissing' their bodies with their trunks and rocking to and fro with grief.
While humans usually reserve their grief for friends and family, elephants mourn over the death of the loosest acquaintance.
Watch the video footage below;