Yes, elephants mourn their dead. They exhibit behaviors that resemble mourning, such as ¹ ² ³ ⁴:
- Touching and caressing the body of the deceased elephant with their trunks
- Making a low rumbling sound
- Staying with the body for hours or even days
- Covering the body with branches, leaves, and dirt
- Visiting gravesites years after burial to pay their respects
- Carrying the body of a deceased calf for days or weeks, possibly as a form of mourning or in an attempt to understand what has happened
