Elephant cognition

Most contemporary ethologists view elephants as one of the world's most intelligent animals. With a mass of just over 5 kg (11 lb), elephant brains have more mass than those of any other land animal, and although the largest whales have body masses twenty-fold those of a typical elephant, whale brains are barely twice the mass of an elephant's brain. In addition, elephants have a total of 300 billion neurons. Elephant brains are similar to humans' in terms of general connectivity and areas. The elephant cortex has as many neurons as a human brain, suggesting convergent evolution.

Elephants manifest a wide variety of behaviors, including those associated with grief, learning, mimicry, play, altruism, use of tools, compassion, cooperation,self-awareness, memory, and communication. Further, evidence suggests elephants may understand pointing: the ability to nonverbally communicate an object by extending a finger, or equivalent. Such behaviors suggest that elephants are highly intelligent; it is thought they are equal with cetaceans and primates in this regard. Due to such claims of high intelligence and due to strong family ties of elephants, some researchers argue it is morally wrong for humans to cull them. The Ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, once said that the elephant was "the animal which surpasses all others in wit and mind."

However, a few elephant researchers, and some ethologists, point to experimental and anecdotal evidence which appear to contradict the view that elephants are self-aware, can think, and possess a theory of mind.

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