Elephants use medicinal plants to treat themselves, researchers find

African elephants in Kenya's Mount Elgon region use 35 different plant species for medicine, including Angurweet, which mothers reportedly give to calves for stomach ailments and other conditions. Local wildlife scouts and community elders provided accounts of the behaviour, which researchers published in Scientific Reports.

The accounts come from interviews with local experts rather than direct observation; researchers are now gathering video evidence to confirm the behaviour, particularly whether mothers intentionally provide bespoke medical treatment to their calves.