DNA reveals origins of Angola's 'ghost elephants'

"Ghost" these elephants are called because of their secretive lifestyle. They live in the inaccessible high-mountain swampy area in eastern Angola, come out mainly at night and for a long time remained almost a legend for researchers.

The first images of these animals were only obtained in 2024 using a camera trap. Conservation biologist Steve Boyce then turned to scientists at Stanford University to understand who these elephants were and where this population might have come from.

Details

Since it was impossible to catch or disturb the animals, the researchers used a non-invasive method: they examined DNA from samples of elephant droppings. This approach makes it possible to obtain genetic information without getting close to the animals or interfering with their lives.

In the laboratory, DNA was extracted from the samples and compared with data from other African elephants. The result was unexpected: the "ghost elephants" did not match already sequenced populations and were closest to elephants from Namibia.

This surprised the researchers because geographically one would expect a closer relationship with populations from neighbouring regions, such as the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Scientists now have to understand how and when these animals ended up in the highland swamps of Angola.

Why it's important

The discovery is important for conservation. If ghost elephants are indeed a genetically distinct and small group, they need to be considered separately in conservation programmes.

Genetic analyses also help to understand population size, the sex of individual animals and possible kinship between them. This is particularly important for animals that are almost impossible to observe directly.

History also shows the value of modern research methods. Even if animals live secretive lives and don't let people get close, scientists can learn a lot about them from the traces they leave in the environment.

Background

Steve Boyce has been searching for "ghost elephants" for more than a decade. He speculated that they could be descendants of very large Angolan elephants of the past. One of the most famous is an elephant named Henry, who was killed in Angola in the 1950s; his remains are in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

However, a direct link between modern "ghost elephants" and Henry has not yet been proven. Available mitochondrial evidence has not confirmed such a kinship, although additional genetic studies may clarify the picture.

The search for these animals is part of a new National Geographic documentary project directed by Werner Herzog. The film covers the inaccessible swamps of Angola, the team's field work and the scientific attempt to understand the origins of one of the most enigmatic groups of African elephants.

Source

Thematerial is based on a Stanford University report on a genetic study of Angola's "ghost elephants". The work was carried out by scientists from the Conservation Genomics programme, with the participation of Steve Boyce and researchers who study the DNA of wild populations using non-invasive samples.