Captured video of a wild Asian elephant in Nagarahole National Park, Karnataka seemingly ‘smoking’ has left the scientists and experts puzzled.
In a press release, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), India Program, stated that the video was captured by WCS assistant director Vinay Kumar in April 2016, when WCS team was involved in a project undertaking long term monitoring of tiger and prey populations.
The video has gone viral and has been shared extensively by multiple international agencies.
According to WCS, this was the first known video-documentation of a wild elephant exhibiting such behaviour, and thus has scientists and experts puzzled.
Dr Varun R Goswami, elephant biologist and senior scientist with WCS India, believes that, most probably, the elephant was trying to ingest wood charcoal, as she appeared to be picking up something from the burnt forest floor, blowing away the ash that came along with it in her trunk, and consuming the rest.
Charcoal has well recognised toxin-binding properties, and although it may not have much nutritional content, wild animals may be attracted to it for this medicinal value, it stated. One could view the video on WCS India youtube channel.
Kumar told PTI that though he felt there was something unique about the elephant and the smoke when he was shooting the video, he forgot about the episode later. Recently while checking his records, he stumbled on to the video again. “I discussed it with Goswami and it was then decided that we would release it,” he said. The statement said the video has been shared extensively by international agencies and publications.