Video: Smart Elephant Found A Way To Cross An Electric Fence

Elephants are believed to be exceptionally smart animals, and not just for their famously long memories. According to Science Focus, these large animals have complex mental maps and can solve problems like piling up blocks to reach food and using branches and rocks as tools. A video going viral online shows one elephant using his problem solving skills to cross an electric fence.

Electric fencing is increasingly being used to reduce human-wildlife conflict. People in areas where elephants raid crop fields in search of food often use electric fences to keep them out. In this video, however, an elephant found a way to cross the electric fence installed to keep him out.

The video was shared to Twitter by Indian Forest Services officer Susanta Nanda. In the video, the elephant stands in front of solar electric fencing that, according to Mr Nanda, is maintained at 5kv to keep them out. He then carefully pushes down a wooden pole and crosses over to the other side without touching the electric wires.

Elephants will go where they want. Solar electric fencing maintained at 5kv was designed to deter them.  It’s intelligence makes them cleaver to breach that barrier. Interesting.

Elephants will go where they want. Solar electric fencing maintained at 5kv was designed to deter them. It’s intelligence makes them cleaver to breach that barrier. Interesting. pic.twitter.com/vbgcGTZfij

— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) November 4, 2019

Elephants are smarter than most ppl think. Watch Allan calm a charging elephant. Nerves of steel. pic.twitter.com/UwLMMzKJbd

— Pri Dinkar - Hindi kavi (@dinkar_pri) November 4, 2019

This is how they do it. pic.twitter.com/DRlQcjAelR

— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) November 5, 2019

We think animals lack intelligence. Every action of the gentle giant has developed by its mistakes and the intuitiveness is the only way for survival. We are clearing forest & invading their space. & we put up electrical fences to deter them. When will we learn to share earth..., posted by a twitter user.

We think animals lack intelligence. Every action of the gentle giant has developed by its mistakes and the intuitiveness is the only way for survival. We are clearing forest & invading their space. & we put up electrical fences to deter them. When will we learn to share earth...

— Suhas. L (@Suhas__L) November 5, 2019

Elephants have been tackling all such fences in this manner for some time now. Tea plantations on Munnar tried this but the elephants figured out that knocking down the wooden posts was best

— Incognito (@EddieU84) November 5, 2019

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