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<p>Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) has historically been understood as uniquely human. However, emerging evidence from elephants, cetaceans, chimpanzees and other intelligent species suggests that some animal communities maintain and transmit ecological knowledge across generations in ways comparable to human TEK. Here, we propose reframing these knowledge systems as Non-Human Traditional Ecological Knowledge (NHTEK), emphasizing the intergenerational transmission of ecological knowledge in non-human species. We extend this discussion to the emerging field of Zoopharmacognosy (the study of animal medication), where preliminary findings raise the possibility that certain species, in particular wild chimpanzee (<i>Pan troglodytes</i>), may possess TEK related to medicinal resource-use. This possibility forces us to ask: <i>are we ethically prepared for such a finding</i>? Recognizing the existence of NHTEK challenges us to reconsider how we value non-human knowledge, how we protect it against commercial exploitation, and how conservation, intellectual property, and environmental governance might adapt in response. </p>

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Could non-humans have Traditional Ecological Knowledge? And if so, what should we do about it?

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月5日

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  • Elodie Freymann,
  • Fabien Schultz,
  • Daniel Redfearn

摘要

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) has historically been understood as uniquely human. However, emerging evidence from elephants, cetaceans, chimpanzees and other intelligent species suggests that some animal communities maintain and transmit ecological knowledge across generations in ways comparable to human TEK. Here, we propose reframing these knowledge systems as Non-Human Traditional Ecological Knowledge (NHTEK), emphasizing the intergenerational transmission of ecological knowledge in non-human species. We extend this discussion to the emerging field of Zoopharmacognosy (the study of animal medication), where preliminary findings raise the possibility that certain species, in particular wild chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), may possess TEK related to medicinal resource-use. This possibility forces us to ask: are we ethically prepared for such a finding? Recognizing the existence of NHTEK challenges us to reconsider how we value non-human knowledge, how we protect it against commercial exploitation, and how conservation, intellectual property, and environmental governance might adapt in response.