but these magnificent animals are more than giant walking hard drives.

然而這些龐大的動物們，不只是活生生的巨型隨身硬碟而已。

The more we learn about elephants,

我們越了解大象，

the more it appears that their impressive memory is only one aspect of an incredible intelligence

就越能發現他們驚人的記憶力只是他們聰明才智的一部份，

that makes them some of the most social, creative and benevolent creatures on Earth.

大象的智力足以讓他們成為地球上最會社交、最有創造力，最仁慈的動物。

Unlike many proverbs, the one about elephant memory is scientifically accurate.

有別於大多數諺語，這則有關大象記憶的諺語是有科學根據的。

Elephants know every member in their herd, able to recognize as many as 30 companions by sight or smell.

大象能辨認象群裡的每一個成員，他們可以透過視覺或嗅覺認得多達30個夥伴。

This is a great help when migrating, or encountering other potentially hostile elephants.

這項能力在遷徙時，或遇到可能有敵意的大象時有很大的幫助。

They also remember and distinguish particular cues that signal danger and can recall important locations long after their last visit.

他們也能記憶和辨別危險的特殊訊號，並回想起很久以前去過的重要地點。

But it's the memories unrelated to survival that are the most fascinating.

但最令人感興趣的是那些跟生存無關的記憶。

Elephants remember not only their herd companions but other creatures who have made a strong impression on them.

大象不只能記得象群裡的同伴，還會記得其它讓牠們印象深刻的生物。

In one case, two circus elephants that had briefly performed together rejoiced when crossing paths 23 years later.

舉例來說，兩隻曾短時間同台演出的馬戲團大象，在23年後的重逢時欣喜無比。

This recognition isn't limited to others of their species.

這種分辨能力不僅表現在同類之間。

Elephants have also recognized humans they've bonded with after decades apart.

大象也能認出十幾年前接觸密切的人類。

All of this shows that elephant memory goes beyond responses to stimuli.

這些例子都指出大象的記憶能力不僅僅是對刺激的反應。

Looking inside their heads, we can see why.

解答就藏在大象的腦袋中。

The elephant boasts the largest brain of any land mammal, as well as an impressive encephalization quotient.

大象的腦袋是陸地上所有哺乳動物中最大的，且擁有驚人的腦化指數（EQ）。

This is the size of the brain relative to what we'd expect for an animal's body size, and the elephants' EQ is nearly as high as a chimpanzee's.

EQ是真實腦容量和預期腦容量的比值，而大象的EQ幾乎和黑猩猩一樣高。

And despite the distant relation, convergent evolution has made it remarkably similar to the human brain, with as many neurons and synapses and a highly developed hippocampus and cerebral cortex.

儘管兩者關係甚遠，趨同演化使得大象的腦非常接近於人類大腦，有很多神經元和神經突觸、高度發展的海馬迴和大腦皮層。

It is the hippocampus strongly associated with emotion that aids recollection by encoding important experiences into long-term memories.

海馬迴的功能和情緒緊密連結，透過「把重要的經歷編譯成長期記憶」的方式輔助記憶。

The ability to distinguish this importance makes elephant memory a complex and adaptable faculty beyond rote memorization.

辨別哪些屬於長期記憶的能力，讓大象的記憶力變成一項複雜而具有適應力的能力，而不僅僅是機械性的強記。

It's what allows elephants who survived a drought in their youth to recognize its warning signs in adulthood,

因此，幼年時期從乾旱中倖存的大象，在成年後能夠辨別乾旱的預兆。

which is why clans with older matriarchs have higher survival rates.

也就是為什麼依附著耆老的象群存活率較高。

Unfortunately, it's also what makes elephants one of the few non-human animals to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

不幸的是，這種能力也讓大象變成人類以外少數會受「創傷後壓力症候群」所苦的動物之一。

The cerebral cortex, on the other hand, enables problem-solving, which elephants display in many creative ways.

另一方面，大腦皮層也賦予了大象解決問題的能力，大象透過各種有創意的方式展現這種能力。

They also tackle problems cooperatively, sometimes even outwitting the researchers and manipulating their partners.

他們會合作解決問題，有時候甚至智取研究學者，還會指揮自己的夥伴。

And they've grasped basic arithmetic, keeping track of the relative amounts of fruit in two baskets after multiple changes.

他們擁有基本的數學運算能力，當兩籃蘋果經過多次對換後，他們還能知道兩藍分別有幾顆蘋果。

The rare combination of memory and problem solving can explain some of elephant's most clever behaviors,

大象罕見的記憶力和解決問題的能力，能解釋大象的聰明行為，

but it doesn't explain some of the things we're just beginning to learn about their mental lives.

但還不能解釋我們對他們的新發現：大象的精神活動。

Elephants communicate using everything from body signals and vocalizations to infrared rumbles that can be heard kilometers away.

象群以各種方式進行溝通，包括肢體語言和聲音、甚至發出能傳遞至幾公里外的低頻振動

And their understanding of syntax suggests they have their own language and grammar.

而且他們對句構的理解，顯示他們有自己的語言和文法。

This sense of language may even go beyond simple communication.

他們的語言能力可能已經超越了一般的溝通。

Elephants create art by carefully choosing and combining different colors and elements.

大象還會藝術創作，他們仔細的選擇、組合不同顏色和物件 。

They can also recognize twelve distinct tones of music and recreate melodies.

他們也能分辨十二種不同音調，並重新創造旋律。

And yes, there is an elephant band.

沒錯，有大象組成的樂團！

But perhaps the most amazing thing about elephants is a capacity even more important than cleverness: their sense of empathy, altruism, and justice.

但關於大象，或許最令人驚嘆的是比聰明才智更重要的能力： 他們的同理心、利他傾向和正義感 。

Elephants are the only non-human animals to mourn their dead, performing burial rituals and returning to visit graves.

大象是除了人類以外唯一會哀悼死者的動物，他們會進行葬禮、探望墳墓。

They have shown concern for other species, as well.

他們也表現出對其他動物的關懷。

One working elephant refused to set a log down into a hole where a dog was sleeping,

有隻大象正在工作，牠拒絕把木頭放進洞裡，因為有隻小狗正在裡面睡覺。

Ｗhile elephants encountering injured humans have sometimes stood guard and gently comforted them with their trunk.

當大象碰見受傷的人類，有時會留下來守護他們並用象鼻輕輕地安慰他們。

On the other hand, elephant attacks on human villages have usually occurred right after massive poachings or callings, suggesting deliberate revenge.

另一方面，大象往往在大規模盜獵之後攻擊人類的村莊，意謂著他們是蓄意報復。

When we consider all this evidence, along with the fact that elephants are one of the few species who can recognize themselves in a mirror.

當我們考量這些證據，再加上大象是少數能認出鏡中自己的動物之一，

it's hard to escape the conclusion that they are conscious, intelligent and emotional beings.

我們很難跳脫這個結論：大象是有自我意識的、智力過人且富有感情的生物。

Unfortunately, humanity's treatment of elephants does not reflect this,

不幸的是，人們對待大象的方式並沒考慮到這點，

as they continue to suffer from habitat destruction in Asia, ivory poaching in Africa, and mistreatment in captivity worldwide.

因此大象持續地受苦，像是他們在亞洲的棲地被破壞、在非洲因象牙被獵殺，以及在全世界各地的圈養中飽受虐待。

Given what we now know about elephants and what they continue to teach us about animal intelligence,

有鑑於我們對大象的了解，以及大象讓我們領略到的動物智能，

it is more important than ever to ensure that what the English poet, John Donne, described as "nature's great masterpiece" does not vanish from the world's canvas.

現在最重要的是，確保如英國詩人約翰·多恩所說的「大自然的偉大傑作」，不會消失在這世界上。