Steeve Ngama research links elephants' crop raids to parasite self-medication
Updated
Updated · DOGOnews · May 5
Steeve Ngama research links elephants' crop raids to parasite self-medication
4 articles · Updated · DOGOnews · May 5
In Gabon, elephants showing gut parasites were 16% more likely to eat banana leaves and 25% more likely to nibble papaya stems.
Ngama tracked raids with farmers, analysed dung and plant samples, and found both plants contain compounds that may help fight stomach parasites.
The late-2025 study suggests learned behaviour shared within herds and could help reduce deadly conflict with farmers by providing alternative medicinal plants.
Could the jungle pharmacies of self-medicating elephants hold undiscovered cures for humans?
If elephants pass down medicinal knowledge, should we legally protect their non-human culture?
Beyond fences and fear, can planting 'forest pharmacies' finally end this deadly conflict?
Elephants’ Medicinal Crop Raids in Gabon: Self-Medication Drives 16–25% Increase in Banana and Papaya Consumption
Overview
A 2025 study revealed that African forest elephants in Gabon raid crops not for food but to self-medicate against gut parasites by targeting banana and papaya stems and leaves rich in antiparasitic compounds. Infected elephants increase consumption of these plants despite risking human conflict, making traditional deterrents ineffective. Elephants learn this medicinal behavior through social transmission, which supports their health and influences conservation strategies. New approaches now focus on providing medicinal plants in safe zones and engaging communities with technology to reduce conflict. This discovery also opens promising avenues for human medicine and highlights the need to protect elephants' access to natural remedies amid environmental challenges.