Kenyan elephants use medicinal plants for self-treatment

Study team identifies plant uses

Researchers from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine worked with local partners to gather data. The group interviewed eight experts who have lived alongside elephants for many decades. This collaboration allowed them to systematically record which species wild animals consume for health reasons.

Mothers treat their offspring

Local reports indicate that elephant mothers administer plant-based remedies to their young calves. These findings align with previous knowledge that animals like chimpanzees eat bitter leaves to fight parasites. The new research adds specific details about plant choices in the Mount Elgon region.

Plants match traditional medicine

Many of the identified plants are also used in Indigenous traditional medicine practices. Scientists note that some species possess antibacterial or anti-inflammatory properties known from earlier studies. The documentation marks the first time such behaviors were recorded systematically in this area.