“Smoke-Breathing” Elephant Stumps Scientists

While visiting camera-trap locations as part of a long-term project to study tigers and their prey populations in Nagaharole National Park in India, WCS scientists and colleagues came upon an elephant displaying unusual behavior. This behavior was videotaped by Mr. Vinay Kumar, Assistant Director for WCS India. “I believe the elephant may have been trying to ingest wood charcoal,” said Dr. Varun Goswami, WCS India scientist and elephant biologist. “She appeared to be picking up pieces from