Elephants Hold Grudge Against TV Networks After Shocking Series Cancellations, Study Reveals

Ever wonder if elephants get just as gutted as we do when their favorite TV series gets the axe? . I’ll admit, I was floored—and for a second, almost teary—when I stumbled on this bizarre nugget: our thick-skinned friends in the savanna mourn canceled shows with the sort of emotional flair that would make even Shonda Rhimes jealous . Forget gray memory vaults; apparently, these creatures curate entire nostalgia vaults, forming solemn circles around a grassy TV shrine and grieving MAS*H like it’s a lost family member . Picture it—branches draped over cherished DVD box sets, a trunkful of regret, and the occasional internet campaign demanding The Equalizer’s return (seriously, who knew elephants had wifi?) . It’s a little haunting, very hilarious, and strangely tender . I can’t decide if this makes me feel hopeful about the universality of heartbreak or if I just want to send all elephants a Hulu subscription . Want the full scoop on elephantine heartbreak and the TV shows that left pachyderms weeping in the wild? LEARN MORE

NEW HAVEN, CT—Shedding light on the animal’s compassionate nature and pop-culture savvy, a study published Wednesday in the journal Behavioral Ecology And Sociobiology found that elephants mourn the cancellation of their favorite TV shows. “The research we conducted over the course of many years in Botswana confirmed that elephants experience a period of deep sorrow when Hollywood executives pull the plug on their most beloved dramas, comedies, and competition reality series,” said study co-author and Yale University zoologist Charlotte Pham, adding that the behavior was first observed in 1983 when a group of African bush elephants solemnly formed a circle around a TV to watch the last episode of M*A*S*H. “They perform complex grieving rites, such as showing reverence for The Sex Lives Of College Girls by covering the DVD box set with dirt and branches. Elephants form lasting relationships with TV shows over the seasons, and consistently return to the grassland spot where they first learned of the cancellation of Suits LA to pay their respects. In addition, the creatures use their advanced cognitive abilities to wage complex online campaigns aimed at getting The Equalizer back on the air. It is perhaps the most haunting phenomenon in all of nature.” The study also found that elephants hold a separate mourning ritual years after a show’s cancellation in which they invite their buddies over to watch old episodes and reminisce about their youth.