An elephant never forgets, making them formidable allies for nature

You might be familiar with the phrase ‘an elephant never forgets’. Stuart McClaren in ‘Guardian Notes‘ says that Plutarch (1st century AD) repeated a story of Hagnon of Tarsus (2nd century BC) about an elephant who exposed a cheat. Whatever the origin, humans and elephants have had a long history together. Hidden behind a dazzling orange eye is true intelligence. In captivity they show a propensity for guile, reason and intimidation. In the wild, they are able to recall ancient pathways, meander...