eleblog

“While plenty of anecdotal evidence exists for dogs’ and other keen-nosed animals’ ability to sniff out race in humans, a recent paper in Current Biology has gathered data suggesting that elephants are able to distinguish between races using a combination of smell and color cues, and can even differentiate between two separate ethnic groups within a single race. The findings are described as follows:” - DISCOVER.com

“An African elephant can recognise dozens of kin by the signature smell of urine, and uses its powerful nose to keep track of their whereabouts, according to a study published Wednesday.” - AFP

“Mr. Thomas distinguished between elephantine olfaction and a similarly keen but separate system of chemical communication.” - New York Times

“African elephants, it turns out, have this ability. Lucy A. Bates and Richard W. Byrne of the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and colleagues have demonstrated that using odor and visual cues elephants are able to classify subgroups within a predator species. The species in question? Homo sapiens.” - New York Times

“When male Asian elephants enter their annual period of heightened sexual activity and aggression, they broadcast their availability to the ladies by pumping out a pungent mix of pheromones.” - Live Science

“While the human brain’s ability to distinguish different odors may be impressive, many mammalian brains can also identify an altogether different type of “smell.” Mammals ranging from mice to elephants produce substances called pheromones, which communicate information about social status and when an individual is ready to reproduce. These signals are somehow picked up through the “accessory” olfactory system, which is separate from the “main” olfactory system that allows us to appreciate, for example, the scent of a rose bouquet.” - EurekAlert