An Elephant Burial

You can read this report about how a herd tried to protect a baby elephant that had got stuck in the railway track. The other elephants tried to block the train, possibly aware that the would be grievously injured. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8021988/Seven-elep...

This area has witnessed quite a few elephant deaths over the years, on an average, five elephants are killed every year here. Elephants have been run over by trains when their herds have in the process of crossing the tracks. Usually a single animal is hit. Lone elephants who have lost their mate have also been documented to attack railway engines. This is a behavior that's not been seen prior to these elephant accidents.

They may not have made an association between the event and their loss, but I am pretty sure they recognized the little one was no longer 'with them'. I personally feel (no facts here) they would not have left her alone if they thought she was alive.

I'm well aware that it's a rhetoric question, but do try to understand why people do evil. Declaring them insane does not help you stop it.

(Also, there is no indication that anyone derived pleasure from unnecessary cruelty in this article.)

The example of the earliest known burial on the wiki page you linked sounds like one of the specific events we studied.

"The earliest undisputed human burial dates back 90,000 years. Human skeletal remains stained with red ochre were discovered[by whom?] in the Skhul cave at Qafzeh, Israel. A variety of grave goods were present at the site, including the mandible of a wild boar in the arms of one of the skeletons."

That evening, when I got home, he and I made eye contact as soon as I opened the door. He immediately slunk off out of view. I then informed my roommates about what happened, and they of course scolded the dog.

What is undeniable to me is that the dog felt shame. He knew he had done wrong. I could see it in his body language and behavior - he knew it when he saw me when I got home, and he knew it when my roommates were scolding him (Verbally only.)

When you think about it, though, it shouldn't be a surprise that pack animals would experience shame. That emotion would help maintain the pack hierarchy.

I think that incident, by the way, is what established me as a pack-leader to the dog. I was new, and I don't think he automatically assumed I had authority. I miss that dog, too. He was one of the most openly affectionate dogs I've ever had the pleasure of being around.