Why elephants never forget - Alex Gendler

Zašto slonovi nikada ne zaboravljaju - Aleks Džendler (Alex Gendler)

Prevodilac: Anja Saric Lektor: Mile Živković

It's a common saying that elephants never forget,

Česta je izreka da slonovi nikada ne zaboravljaju,

but these magnificent animals are more than giant walking hard drives.

ali ove veličanstvene životinje su više od ogromnih pokretnih hard diskova.

The more we learn about elephants,

Što više otkrivamo o slonovima,

the more it appears that their impressive memory

više se čini da je njihova impresivna memorija

is only one aspect of an incredible intelligence

samo jedan aspekt njihove neverovatne inteligencije

that makes them some of the most social, creative,

koja ih čini jednim od najdruštvenijih, najkreativnijih

and benevolent creatures on Earth.

i najdobroćudnijih stvorenja na planeti.

Unlike many proverbs, the one about elephant memory

Za razliku od mnogih izreka, ova o memoriji slonova

is scientifically accurate.

naučno je tačna.

Elephants know every member in their herd,

Slonovi znaju svakog člana u svom krdu,

able to recognize as many as 30 companions by sight or smell.

sposobni su da prepoznaju do 30 drugova vizuelno ili po mirisu.

This is a great help when migrating

To je od velike pomoći tokom migracija

or encountering other potentially hostile elephants.

ili susreta sa drugim, potencijalno neprijateljski nastrojenim slonovima.

They also remember and distinguish particular cues that signal danger

Oni takođe memorišu i prepoznaju određene znakove koji signaliziraju opasnost

and can recall important locations long after their last visit.

i mogu da se sete važnih lokacija, dugo nakon što su ih posetili.

But it's the memories unrelated to survival that are the most fascinating.

Ali sećanja koja nisu u vezi sa preživljavanjem su najfascinantnija.

Elephants remember not only their herd companions

Slonovi ne memorišu samo članove svoga krda

but other creatures who have made a strong impression on them.

već i druga stvorenja koja su na njih ostavila snažan utisak.

In one case, two circus elephants that had briefly performed together

U jednom slučaju, dva cirkuska slona koja su kratko vremena nastupala zajedno

rejoiced when crossing paths 23 years later.

radovala su se nakon što su se ponovo srela nakon 23 godine.

This recognition isn't limited to others of their species.

Ovakvo prepoznavanje nije ograničeno samo na njihovu vrstu.

Elephants have also recognized humans they've bonded with after decades apart.

Slonovi su takođe nakon nekoliko decenija prepoznali ljude sa kojima su bliski.

All of this shows that elephant memory goes beyond responses to stimuli.

Sve ovo ukazuje na to da memorija slonova seže dalje od reakcije na stimulus.

Looking inside their heads, we can see why.

Gledajući unutar njihovih glava, možemo videti zašto.

The elephant boasts the largest brain of any land mammal,

Slon se razmeće najvećim mozgom među kopnenim sisarima,

as well as an impressive encephalization quotient.

kao i impresivnim encefalizacijskim količnikom.

This is the size of the brain relative to what we'd expect

To predstavlja veličinu mozga u odnosu na onu koju očekujemo

for an animal's body size,

u skladu sa veličinom tela životinje,

and the elephant's EQ is nearly as high as a chimpanzee's.

a kod slona je ona visoka skoro kao kod šimpanzi.

And despite the distant relation,

I bez obzira na daleko rodstvo,

convergent evolution has made it remarkably similar to the human brain,

konvergentna evolucija napravila ga je neverovatno sličnim ljudskom mozgu,

with as many neurons and synapses

sa istim brojem neurona i sinapsi

and a highly developed hippocampus and cerebral cortex.

i veoma razvijenim hipokampusom i cerebralnim korteksom.

It is the hippocampus, strongly associated with emotion, that aids recollection

Hipokampus koji je usko povezan sa emocijama potpomaže sećanja

by encoding important experiences into long-term memories.

tako što pretvara značajna iskustva u dugoročna sećanja.

The ability to distinguish this importance makes elephant memory

Sposobnost da razazna ovaj značaj čini memoriju slona

a complex and adaptable faculty beyond rote memorization.

kompleksnom i prilagodljivom sposobnošću daleko iznad pamćenja napamet.

It's what allows elephants who survived a drought in their youth

To je ono što slonovima koji su u maldosti preživeli sušu

to recognize its warning signs in adulthood,

dozvoljava da u odraslom dobu prepoznaju znake upozorenja,

which is why clans with older matriarchs have higher survival rates.

zbog čega klanovi sa starijim matrijarhom imaju veće šanse da prežive.

Unfortunately, it's also what makes elephants one of the few non-human animals

Nažalost, isto to čini da slonovi, zajedno sa još nekoliko vrsta životinja,

to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

pate od posttraumatskog stresnog poremećaja.

The cerebral cortex, on the other hand, enables problem solving,

S druge strane, cerebralni korteks omogućuje rešavanje problema,

which elephants display in many creative ways.

što slonovi pokazuju na mnogo kreativnih načina.

They also tackle problems cooperatively,

Takođe, oni probleme rešavaju kooperativno,

sometimes even outwitting the researchers and manipulating their partners.

ponekada čak i pređu naučnike ili izmanipulišu svoje partnere.

And they've grasped basic arithmetic, keeping track of the relative amounts

Shvataju osnove aritmetike jer znaju relativno stanje

of fruit in two baskets after multiple changes.

voća u dve korpe nakon višestrukih izmena.

The rare combination of memory and problem solving

Retka kombinacija memorije i sposobnosti rešavanja problema

can explain some of elephants' most clever behaviors,

može objasniti neke od najpametnijih ponašanja slonova,

but it doesn't explain some of the things we're just beginning to learn

ali ne može objasniti neke stvari koje smo tek počeli da otkrivamo

about their mental lives.

o njihovim mentalnim životima.

Elephants communicate using everything from body signals and vocalizations,

Slonovi komuniciraju koristeći sve od jezika tela i vokalizacije

to infrasound rumbles that can be heard kilometers away.

do infracrvenih tutnjava koje se mogu čuti kilometrima daleko.

And their understanding of syntax suggests that they have their own language and grammar.

Njihovo razumevanje sintakse ukazuje na to da oni imaju sopstveni jezik i gramatiku.

This sense of language may even go beyond simple communication.

Ovaj smisao jezika može ići dalje od jednostavne komunikacije.

Elephants create art by carefully choosing and combining

Slonovi stvaraju umetnost tako što pažljivo biraju i kombinuju

different colors and elements.

različite boje i elemente.

They can also recognize twelve distinct tones of music and recreate melodies.

Oni isto mogu da prepoznaju 12 različitih muzičkih tonova i da ponove melodije.

And yes, there is an elephant band.

I da, postoji bend slonova.

But perhaps the most amazing thing about elephants

Ali verovatno najiznenađujuća stvar u vezi sa slonovima

is a capacity even more important than cleverness:

je sposobnost još važnija od pameti:

their sense of empathy, altruism, and justice.

njihov osećaj za empatiju, altruizam i pravdu.

Elephants are the only non-human animals to mourn their dead,

Slonovi su jedine životinje koje oplakuju preminule,

performing burial rituals and returning to visit graves.

imaju rituale sahrane i vraćaju se da posete grobove.

They have shown concern for other species, as well.

Takođe pokazuju zabrinutost za druge vrste.

One working elephant refused to set a log down into a hole

Jedan slon je odbio da spusti panj u rupu

where a dog was sleeping,

u kojoj je spavao pas,

while elephants encountering injured humans have sometimes stood guard

dok slonovi koji naiđu na povređene ljude ponekad čuvaju stražu

and gently comforted them with their trunk.

i nežno ih teše svojom surlom.

On the other hand, elephant attacks on human villages

S druge strane, napadi slonova na sela

have usually occurred right after massive poachings or cullings,

obično su se dešavali odmah nakon velikih lovokrađa

suggesting deliberate revenge.

što ukazuje na promišljenu osvetu.

When we consider all this evidence,

Ako uzmemo u obzir sve ove dokaze,

along with the fact that elephants are one of the few species

zajedno sa činjenicom da su slonovi jedna od retkih vrsta

who can recognize themselves in a mirror,

koje mogu prepoznati svoj odraz u ogledalu,

it's hard to escape the conclusion

teško je pobeći od zaključka

that they are conscious, intelligent, and emotional beings.

da su slonovi svesna, inteligentna i emocionalna bića.

Unfortunately, humanity's treatment of elephants does not reflect this,

Nažalost, tretiranje slonova se ne odražava na ovo

as they continue to suffer from habitat destruction in Asia,

jer su oni meta razaranja staništa u Aziji, krivokrađe slonovače

ivory poaching in Africa, and mistreatment in captivity worldwide.

u Africi i maltretiranja u zarobljeništvu širom sveta.

Given what we now know about elephants

S obzirom na to šta znamo o slonovima

i šta nastavljaju da nam otkrivaju u vezi sa inteligencijom kod životinja,

and what they continue to teach us about animal intelligence,

it is more important than ever to ensure

bitnije je nego ikada da se postaramo

that what the English poet John Donne described as "nature's great masterpiece"

da ono što engleski pesnik Džon Don opisuje kao veliko "remek-delo prirode"

does not vanish from the world's canvas.

ne nestane sa svetskog platna.