Why elephants never forget - Alex Gendler

为什么大象不会忘事 | 亚历克斯 ·钱德勒

翻译人员: Melody Tang 校对人员: Sherry Chen

It's a common saying that elephants never forget,

有句老话说，“大象从不忘事”

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

但这些巨大的生物可不仅仅是 巨大的移动硬盘

The more we learn about elephants,

我们对大象的了解越多

the more it appears that their impressive memory

越了解到，大象那令人钦佩的记忆力

is only one aspect of an incredible intelligence

只是它们惊人智慧的一方面而已

that makes them some of the most social, creative,

这样的智慧使得大象成为地球上 最具社交能力，最有创造力

and benevolent creatures on Earth.

和最友善的生物

与众多谚语不同的是

Unlike many proverbs, the one about elephant memory

这一个关于大象记忆力的谚语， 从科学角度看是精准的

is scientifically accurate.

Elephants know every member in their herd,

大象认识它的兽群中的每一位同伴

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

它们能够通过视觉或味觉， 识别出多达30位同伴

This is a great help when migrating

这一能力，在象群迁移

or encountering other potentially hostile elephants.

或是遇到有敌意的象群时， 都大有帮助

大象也能记住和分辨出 某些预示危险的特殊信号

They also remember and distinguish particular cues that signal danger

and can recall important locations long after their last visit.

并且即便在很久之后，它们也仍能 回想起之前去过的重要地点

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

但最令人们着迷的，是大象的 那些无关生死的记忆

Elephants remember not only their herd companions

大象不仅能记住它的兽群中的同伴

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

还能够记住那些给它们 留下深刻印象的其他生物

比如说，有两只大象曾经 短暂的在同一个马戏团表演

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

rejoiced when crossing paths 23 years later.

结果当它们23年之后再见时， 双方都高兴得不得了

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

这样的记忆，不仅局限于大象 这一物种

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

大象在与当时结缘的人类 分别几十年之后，仍能记得他们

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

这一切都显示，大象的记忆力 远超出应激反应这一水平

Looking inside their heads, we can see why.

细看大象的大脑，我们就能 理解为什么了

大象的大脑尺寸是所有陆地上 哺乳动物中最大的

The elephant boasts the largest brain of any land mammal,

as well as an impressive encephalization quotient.

同时大象的脑化商数 也是令人印象颇深

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

这一商数指的是用 生物大脑的尺寸

for an animal's body size,

除以我们预期的生物体型大小 而得到的结果

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

大象的情绪商数几乎 和大猩猩的一样高

And despite the distant relation,

而且尽管大象与人类属于 远缘进化亲系

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

趋同进化令大象的大脑 呈现出了极其近似人类大脑的结构

同样具有很多神经元和神经突触

with as many neurons and synapses

and a highly developed hippocampus and cerebral cortex.

以及高度发达的海马体和大脑皮层

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

与情感密切关联的是海马体

它能将重要体验嵌入长期记忆

by encoding important experiences into long-term memories.

The ability to distinguish this importance makes elephant memory

这种对重要程度的区分能力， 使得大象的记忆力

成为一个复杂、具有适应能力的载体

a complex and adaptable faculty beyond rote memorization.

远超机械记忆

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

那些早年挺过旱灾的大象

to recognize its warning signs in adulthood,

成年后能够认出旱灾的预警信号， 靠的就是这种能力

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

这就是为什么有年长女族长的 象群的存活率更高

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

然而不幸的是，这种能力也使得 大象成为非人类动物中

to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

少有的几个会受创伤后 应激障碍所困的动物之一

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

另一方面，大脑皮层赋予大象 具有处理问题的能力

which elephants display in many creative ways.

这一点可以從大象的 多种创新表现看出来

它们同时也能够合作解决问题

They also tackle problems cooperatively,

sometimes even outwitting the researchers and manipulating their partners.

有些时候，它们操纵同伴的方式 甚至胜过研究者

它们还拥有了基本的算数能力

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

在两篮水果的数目变化多次后， 它们仍能记住水果的数目

of fruit in two baskets after multiple changes.

The rare combination of memory and problem solving

这种少见的记忆力及 解决问题能力的结合

can explain some of elephants' most clever behaviors,

可以解释大象的一些极聪明的行为

但是对于我们刚刚开始理解的 大象的心理

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

却无法解释

about their mental lives.

Elephants communicate using everything from body signals and vocalizations,

大象经常用各种渠道沟通： 身体语言和声音

to infrasound rumbles that can be heard kilometers away.

还有数公里之外都能 听到的红外低频咆声

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

它们对句法的理解， 表明它们有自己的语言和语法

This sense of language may even go beyond simple communication.

这类语言可能甚至超出 简单沟通的水平

Elephants create art by carefully choosing and combining

大象谨慎地将不同的颜色和元素 结合起来

different colors and elements.

创造艺术之美

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

它们还能够记住12个不同的音阶， 然后再创造出同样的旋律

And yes, there is an elephant band.

没错，确实有一个大象乐队

But perhaps the most amazing thing about elephants

但是大象最令人叹为观止的

is a capacity even more important than cleverness:

或许是大象身上比聪明 更重要的一个能力

their sense of empathy, altruism, and justice.

是它们的悲悯、奉献和正义感

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

除了人类以外，大象是 唯一一种会为逝者哀悼的动物

performing burial rituals and returning to visit graves.

它们举行葬礼仪式，并会回访墓地

They have shown concern for other species, as well.

它们也展现出了对其他物种的关切

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

一只干活的大象拒绝将原木 放在一个洞里

where a dog was sleeping,

因为有一只狗正在里面睡觉

while elephants encountering injured humans have sometimes stood guard

当大象遇到受伤的人类时， 它们有时会站在一旁保卫伤者

and gently comforted them with their trunk.

并用象鼻轻轻安抚他们

On the other hand, elephant attacks on human villages

另一方面，大象对于 人类村庄的攻击

have usually occurred right after massive poachings or cullings,

通常是在大规模的猎杀后发生的

因此可推断那是它们蓄意报复的行为

suggesting deliberate revenge.

When we consider all this evidence,

当我们考虑这些证据的时候

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

再想一想大象是少数几个

who can recognize themselves in a mirror,

能从镜子中认出自己的物种之一

it's hard to escape the conclusion

我们很难不如此下结论：

that they are conscious, intelligent, and emotional beings.

大象是有自我意识、聪明 且有情感的物种

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

不幸的是，人类对大象的所作所为 却并没有反映出这一点

在亚洲，它们的栖息地 一再遭到破坏

as they continue to suffer from habitat destruction in Asia,

ivory poaching in Africa, and mistreatment in captivity worldwide.

在非洲，象牙被非法猎取， 世界其他各地有对它们的囚禁和虐待

Given what we now know about elephants

以我们现在对大象的了解

and what they continue to teach us about animal intelligence,

以及它们不断让我们了解到 关于动物智能的信息

it is more important than ever to ensure

当前最重要的是要保证

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

正如英国诗人约翰·当德（John Donne） 所形容的那样：

“自然的伟大杰作”不会从 世界的油画布上消失

does not vanish from the world's canvas.

（音乐）