News Excerpt:
Using artificial intelligence (AI) tools, scientists have found evidence that elephants have their own names which they use to address each other.
More about the study:
- The recent study titled “African elephants address one another with individually specific name-like calls,” published in the journal Nature, offers groundbreaking insights into the complex communication systems of elephants.
- Conducted by researchers from Colorado State University, Save The Elephants, ElephantVoices, and the Amboseli Elephant Research Project, the study suggests that elephants use specific rumbles as unique identifiers, essentially giving each other names.
- This discovery places elephants among the few animals known to use individual names, similar to humans, but without imitating the addressee’s calls.
Conducting the Study:
- The research focused on rumbles, which are low-pitched sounds that elephants frequently use in social interactions, rather than the more commonly known trumpets, which are typically emotional responses.
- The team recorded rumbles of wild female African savannah elephants and their offspring in Kenya over several decades (1986-2022).
- These recordings were analyzed using an AI model to determine if the rumbles contained information specific to individual elephants.
Key Findings:
- The AI model accurately identified the addressed elephant 27.5% of the time, significantly higher than random chance.
- Playback experiments showed that elephants reacted more strongly to rumbles that were directed specifically at them.
- No evidence was found that elephants imitate the calls of the receiver, unlike parrots and dolphins.
Significance of the Study:
- The study highlights the sophisticated nature of elephant communication, suggesting that their social interactions are more complex than previously understood.
- By demonstrating that elephants use unique identifiers akin to names, the research draws a parallel between human and elephant communication, emphasizing the intellectual capabilities of elephants.
- These findings could enhance human appreciation for elephants, especially considering that human-elephant conflicts are a major threat to their survival. The study's insights into elephant communication may foster greater empathy and efforts toward conservation.
Conclusion:
This research not only enriches our understanding of animal behaviour but also underscores the need for protecting these intelligent creatures, potentially influencing conservation strategies and human attitudes toward elephants.
|
Aspect |
Asian Elephants |
African Elephants |
|
Habitat |
Forests, grasslands, scrublands, and agricultural areas in South and Southeast Asia. (India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, etc.) |
Savannas, forests, deserts, and marshes across sub-Saharan Africa. (Botswana, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, etc.) |
|
IUCN Status |
Endangered |
Vulnerable (African savanna elephants); Endangered (African forest elephants) |
|
Lifestyle |
Tend to live in smaller herds led by females (matriarchal society); more forest-dwelling. |
Live in larger herds and are also matriarchal; savanna elephants are more open-terrain dwelling while forest elephants inhabit dense forests. |
|
Primary Diet |
Grasses, leaves, bamboo, bark, roots, and small amounts of fruits. |
Grasses, fruits, bark, and leaves; Savanna elephants have a varied diet, while forest elephants consume more fruits. |
|
Physical features |
Smaller in size; height ranges from 2-3.5 meters, weight ranges from 2,000-5,500 kg Only males have tusks. |
Larger in size; height ranges from 3-4 meters, weight ranges from 4,000-8,000 kg Both male and female African elephants can have tusks |
|
Gestation period |
Approximately 18-22 months |
Approximately 22 months |
