Inside the Mind of an Elephant
An Elephant's Intelligence
Elephants are considered one of the smartest animals on the planet. Elephants pass knowledge down to generations, have a complex language, show compassion and love, and grieve deceased family members.
Their Brain
Elephants have longer dendrites of a neuron than other mammals, implying that they could process and contemplate information deeper than other animals. They have as many neurons as humans and have relatively larger pyramidal neurons, which are central to cognitive processes. Their brain is built to process a lot of stimulus throughout their day, which means when they don't get enough, they can become frustrated. Like humans, they get majority of their stimulation through interacting with others of their species or exploring their land.
Language
Elephants have a complex, common language that they use to share knowledge, express thoughts, and cooperate with each other. Their large vocal tract—including their trunk—allows them to have over 230 linguistic signals including seismic vibrations that can be transferred over miles uninterrupted. Their feet have a fatty cushion that can pick up small vibrations, then their brain allows them to process it into information. Most elephants can differentiate strangers from relatives and can memorize the location of at least 17 different family members.
Scientists have observed elephants organizing each other to work through problems. When a calf is stuck in the mud, the mothers and aunts of the calf will work together to get him out. Elephants show intense empathy and love for both others of their species. Friends have intense greeting ceremonies after being reunited together. Elephants also "bury" their deceased family members under leaves and can be seen mourning them for days afterwards. Some herds even make the trek to the burial site every year the day of the deceased elephant's death.
Empathy
Stereotypic Behaviors
An elephant's highly intelligent and complex brain means that they need a lot of stimulation, similar to humans. When they don't get enough, they begin to form "stereotypic behaviors" in which they repeatedly do behaviors such as swaying, head-bobbing, pacing, and circling their enclosures. This is very common for zoo elephants, and even more for those in small enclosures by themselves. Phrases like "bored out of my mind" or "dying of boredom" come to mind when thinking about this. Yet, for elephants, it's more literal. There has been research that these behaviors could be caused by damage to their basal ganglia, making them unable to stop these motions.