Attachment Effects of Poaching

Attachment Effects of Poaching

IMG_0204
Photo credit: Mary Obeyd

I am fascinated by the human psyche. I studied psychology for six years, two of which were from a family systems context during my postgraduate studies. As I delve into the natural world and experience the beauty of wildlife, I have enjoyed learning about the psychological and emotional aspects of animals, both independently and within their social relationships. A topic that I am currently researching is the relational and attachment effects of separation of baby elephants and rhinos from their mothers as a result of poaching.

Elephants are highly intelligent with brain structure similar to humans. MRI scans on an elephant’s brain have shown a large and highly developed hippocampus, a limbic system structure that is linked to memory and processing emotions. If an elephant experiences human-related trauma or the death of their mother as an infant, they are at risk of abnormal psychobiological development and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, an adult elephant that has experienced trauma as an infant may exhibit trauma-induced behavioral disorders, such as hyperaggression, inattentive mothering, and abnormal social behavior. Such changes in normal development can lead to maladaptive behaviors that may transmit across generations and potentially alter species development.

According to Allan Shore, expert on human-related trauma at UCLA, “The emotional relationship between the mother and her offspring impacts the wiring of the infants’ developing brain. When early experiences are traumatic, there is a thinning down of the developing brain circuits, especially in areas that process emotional information and regulate stress. That means less resilience and an enduring deficit in aggression regulation, social communication, and empathy.”

A few weeks ago I observed the elephant orphans of Kenya at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT). Many of the orphaned elephants at DSWT are victims of poaching and have lost their families during traumatic events. Some orphans have witnessed their mother being poached and stood by their deceased mother’s side in a state of confusion, desperation and fear. The human caregivers at DSWT, known as keepers, become each baby’s replacement attachment figure and provide the babies with attentiveness their mother naturally would have given. It should be noted that due to the emotional temperament of baby elephants, the keepers vary their time with each elephant so that the orphan does not become too emotionally dependent on any one person, which helps smooth transition naturally back into the wild.

Earlier this week I observed the orphaned baby rhinos at The Rhino Orphanage in Limpopo and compared behavioral observations between the orphaned elephants at DSWT and orphaned rhinos at The Rhino Orphanage. Most of the rhinos at the orphanage are victims of poaching and initially arrive at the orphanage traumatized and resistant to their surroundings. Through dedication and nurture, the rhinos create attachment bonds with their human caregivers and seek comfort from them during times of distress, as they would with their biological mothers in the wild. As with DSWT, the rhino orphans’ attachment to their human caregivers is eventually weaned as the orphan becomes more secure and ready to transition back into the wild.

IMG_1351
Photo credit: Mary Obeyd

After spending time with both DSWT and The Rhino Orphanage, I observed similarities between both the elephant and rhino orphans through the attachment and emotional bonds between human caregiver and orphan. In my opinion I believe that nurture and maternal-like devotion are vital to the psychological and emotional recovery of traumatized orphaned elephants and rhinos, and ultimately the conservation of such species.

I have not yet found extensive research on the psychological aspects and attachment patterns of typically developed rhinos or orphaned rhinos, and hope to see more development of research in the near future. If you are aware of relevant research please comment below.

Mary Obeyd, Y4AW Intern

2 thoughts on “Attachment Effects of Poaching

  1. Great article, Mary. I’m aware of the DSWT elephant’s emotional & attachment evolution after their arrival at the centre, but I’ve found it difficult to find much information about rhinos’ emotional bonds & psychological patterns with humans. I would love to keep up with your own research and to see how the world finds out more and more about these fascinating creatures. Have a nice day, and thanks for sharing!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *