According to research, wild savannah elephants in Kenya emit unique vocalizations, acting as individual 'names,' as they traverse the African savannah, facilitating connections with relatives.
Traditionally, personal names were deemed exclusive to humans, but a recent study led by Colorado State University proposes that wild African elephants use distinct calls, resembling names, offering new perspectives on language evolution.
First Non-Human Animal To Assign Names to Each Other
In a recent study published on the preprint server BioRxiv, researchers discovered that African savannah elephants, specifically Loxodonta africana, produce vocalizations unique to individuals within their social groups, suggesting that elephants might have names for each other.
This behavior sets them apart as the first non-human animals known to address each other without imitating the receiver's call, a distinction from dolphins and parrots. While other animals utilize "referential calls" to identify objects like predators or food, these calls are generally considered instinctive and not require social learning.
During the study, the research team recorded 527 elephant calls in the greater Samburu ecosystem in northern Kenya and 98 calls in the Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya.
By identifying rumbles specific to 119 individuals, the researchers used a computer model to correctly recognize the recipients of 20.3% of the 625 recorded calls. This advancement sheds light on the intricate communication methods of these highly intelligent animals.
Elephant biologist Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell from Harvard University Medical School, who was not part of the study, emphasized the importance of artificial intelligence in deciphering the subtle differences in elephant calls.
While certain rumbles, such as contact, anti-predator, and greeting rumbles, might look similar on a spectrogram, AI allows researchers to delve into the nuanced details of what elephants focus on.
The study revealed that the calls were not generic, targeting specific groups like younger elephants or mothers; instead, they were distinct to the individual receiver. The findings provide valuable insights into the complex communication patterns of elephants and the potential existence of unique "names" within their vocalizations.
Elephant Communication
Due to the fission-fusion social dynamics of elephants, characterized by their tendency to segregate into smaller units that occasionally form massive assemblies, these animals often use contact rumbles to communicate over long distances. This behavior enables them to stay connected with their closely bonded social partners even when out of sight.
Although elephants use vocal labels, similar to names, to coordinate over long distances, they don't do it often because it's not always necessary. However, using names might help elephants build social connections, much like humans do.
The findings underscore the complex social cognition of elephants, providing new insights into their unique behaviors. Understanding how elephants communicate is crucial for conservation efforts, as it sheds light on their intricate social structures and behaviors.
Elephants communicate through various means, including vocal sounds like trumpeting, infrasound for long-distance communication, tactile communication through trunk interactions, visual signals such as body posture and ear flapping, chemical communication using their keen sense of smell, and even seismic communication, where vibrations in the ground may serve as another long-distance communication channel.
The rich repertoire of communication methods among elephants contributes to their highly social nature and offers valuable information for conservation strategies.
RELATED ARTICLE: Wild Elephants Unlock Food Storage Puzzles, Showing Their Problem-Solving Ability
Check out more news and information on Elephant in Science Times.
