Elephants use calls that are like names when communicating with each other. This was discovered by an international group of scientists who observed the behavior of these animals in the Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Amboseli National Parks in Kenya between 1986 and 2022.
As behavioral ecologist Michael Pardo from Colorado State University explained, elephants, it turns out, call each other by individual names, like humans do, and come up with nicknames for their fellows. The study also confirmed that these animals are not inclined to imitate voices and sounds, as parrots and bottlenose dolphins do.
During the study, scientists used an artificial intelligence algorithm to analyze the calls of two herds of wild African savanna elephants. "Elephants use specific sounds for each individual, they recognize and respond to personal calls, while ignoring calls addressed to other individuals," the scientist explained. "They can tell if an appeal is addressed to them just by hearing it, even if it is taken out of context." In his opinion, elephant communication may be more complex than previously thought.
To come to this conclusion, the researchers studied the "rumble" of elephants and, using a machine learning algorithm,were able to identify 469 different calls, including 101 calls with an appeal and 117 calls of a response reaction. "Rumbles carry information intended only for a specific elephant," he added.
The study, the results of which were published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, showed that adults use names more often than young ones, suggesting that it may take years to learn this talent. The most common appeal was a "rich,harmonious, low-frequency sound," the researchers note. "When a recording was played in which an elephant addressed a friend or family member, the animal reacted positively, but the same elephant showed much less enthusiasm when addressed to others," the researchers note. "Moreover, elephants did not simply imitate the addressee's call, which suggests that they and humans are the only known animals that come up with 'names' for each other, rather than simply copying the voice of another animal," the study says.
"The presented evidence that elephants use non-imitative vocalizations to name others suggests that they have the ability for abstract thought," says Georg Wittemyer, senior author of the study.
According to Save the Elephants CEO Frank Pope, despite the differences, humans and elephants have a lot in common,including "extended family units with a rich social life, supported by a highly developed brain."
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