A New "Interspecies Culture"

Despite the rise of violence in the Human-Elephant Conflict, Siebert notes that there are efforts to rehabilitate and release elephants back into the wild. Sheldrick Trust is a prime example, as he has helped over 60 traumatized elephants and “reintroduced them into wild herds”. His methods include having humans replace or become substitute allomothers. Bradshaw states that humans can now help heal the wounds of a species other than humans; these are the beginnings of a new “interspecies culture”. They are also supporting our two species co-existence. The Elephant Sanctuary’s human allomothers occasionally receive a visit from the rehabilitated elephants with their wild-born calves. Our progress in the new “trans-species psyche” is slow, but steady. The trauma that some of elephants have may never be healed, but we can work around it and come to an understanding with them.