Mmastodon ScienceScience first seen 18 h ago, last 2 h ago, peak #1

Elephants mine minerals deep inside Kenya's Kitum Cave

Original: 🐘 WATCH: In the pitch-black chambers of # MountElgon 's # Kitum Cave, African # savannah # elephants use their tusks to

African savannah elephants venture into the pitch-black chambers of Kitum Cave on Mount Elgon in Kenya, using their tusks to scrape volcanic rock for sodium, calcium and magnesium. Generations of herds have hollowed out these deep mineral chambers, passing the unusual mining behaviour down through the herd. Footage of the elephants at work is drawing attention to one of nature's most remarkable learned traditions.

Why now: Striking footage of a rare learned elephant behaviour is circulating and fascinating viewers.

Kitum CaveMount ElgonAfrican savannah elephantKenya

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Rank over time, top of the chart is #1. 7 snapshots from 11 h ago to 2 h ago.

Evidence

• 🐘 WATCH: In the pitch-black chambers of # MountElgon 's # Kitum Cave, African # savannah # elephants use their tusks to scrape volcanic rock for # sodium , # calcium , and # magnesium . Generations of herds have hollowed out these deep mineral chambers, passing down an unusual… · tksst@fediscience.org · 18

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