Elephants Invent Names for Each Other, Study Finds

Researchers have found that elephants use unique vocalizations, akin to individual names, to call out to each other. This behavior sets elephants apart from other non-human animals, like dolphins and parrots, who use imitation rather than invention for their calls.

The study, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, was conducted by an international team that employed artificial intelligence to analyze the calls of two wild herds of African savanna elephants in Kenya. The researchers, led by Michael Pardo from Colorado State University, revealed that elephants not only use specific vocalizations for each individual but can also recognize when a call is directed at them, even outside its original context.

Between 1986 and 2022, the team recorded elephant “rumbles” at Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve and Amboseli National Park. They identified 469 distinct calls, with 101 elephants making a call and 117 receiving one. These vocalizations varied from loud trumpets to low-frequency rumbles inaudible to humans. Notably, names were often called over long distances, predominantly by adults addressing young elephants, indicating that learning to use these names might take years.

The study found that when an elephant heard a recording of its name called by a friend or family member, it responded positively and energetically. In contrast, the elephant showed less enthusiasm when hearing the names of others. This behavior underscores the elephants’ sophisticated social interactions and their ability for abstract thought, a trait previously thought to be exclusive to humans.

Unlike parrots and dolphins, elephants do not merely mimic the calls of others but create arbitrary names, highlighting their cognitive complexity. The research suggests that humans and elephants are unique in their use of non-imitative sounds to label individuals, an ability that may stem from their highly developed brains and rich social structures.

Frank Pope, CEO of Save the Elephants, emphasized the significance of these findings, noting that “elephants use names for one another is likely only the start of the revelations to come.” The researchers have called for further exploration into the evolutionary origins of this naming ability, considering that elephants’ ancestors diverged from primates and cetaceans around 90 million years ago. Despite our differences, humans and elephants share extended family units and complex social lives, pointing to intriguing parallels between the species.

Animals Are My Favorite People by Tiny Rescue: Animal Collection

Related Content:

• New Short Film Shows Bond Between Caregiver and Elephant
• Incredible Woman Snuggles Up With Rescued Elephant to Help Him Feel Safe [Video]
• 5 Ways Elephants Can Teach Us Empathy, Resilience, and Freedom
• Eyesight Plays Key Role in Elephants’ Balance, Study Finds
• Study Reveals Elephants and Tigers as Top Choices for Brits Seeking Wildlife Encounters

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!