Elephants are fascinating creatures, known for their enormous size, distinctive trunks that function as both limbs and tools, and their ability to move silently despite their weight. Their intelligence and intricate social behavior set them apart from many other species. And now, new research suggests that elephants may even have something similar to human “names.”
A recent study conducted in Kenya has revealed that elephants may use specific vocalizations to address individual members of their herd, almost like calling them by name. Researchers had observed that sometimes when an elephant made a vocal sound, the entire group would respond. But in other cases, only one elephant would react, as if it had been specifically called.
To explore this further, scientists studied the vocalizations of 100 African savannah elephants in Amboseli National Park and Samburu National Reserve. Using machine learning, they analyzed the sounds to determine if certain calls were directed at specific individuals. They then tested this hypothesis on 17 elephants whose “names” had been identified through the model.
The results were striking. When a vocalization, identified as being directed at a particular elephant, was played, the targeted elephant would approach the sound source, showing more excitement and making additional vocalizations. In contrast, when the sound appeared to be meant for another elephant, the response was less enthusiastic.
“The elephants could tell if a call was directed at them just by the sound of it,” said Mickey Pardo, the lead study author and behavioral ecologist at Cornell University.
The study, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, notes that this use of names is rare in the animal kingdom. While some animals, like dolphins and parrots, use specific calls to address others, they typically do so by mimicking the sounds of the animal they’re communicating with. Elephants, however, seem to use arbitrary vocalizations that may function like human names, suggesting a higher level of abstract thought.
“Unlike dolphins or parrots, elephants’ calls appear to be arbitrary, much like human names,” Pardo explained. “Addressing individuals with arbitrary names likely requires the ability for abstract thinking.”
Studying elephant vocalizations is challenging because they produce a wide range of sounds. While their famous trumpet calls are loud and attention-grabbing, the name-like vocalizations tend to be softer, rumbling noises. These rumbles are highly variable in their acoustic structure, making them even harder to analyze.
One of the most frequent uses of these vocalizations was by mother elephants calling their calves, perhaps to comfort them or check in. However, the research couldn't definitively isolate the “names” of the individual elephants involved in the study, leaving some questions unanswered. For instance, do elephants use the same sound when addressing the same individual, or are there variations? Do they use names for other elephants when they’re not around?
Further studies are needed to address these questions, including the structure and syntax of elephant communication. “We still don’t fully understand how elephant vocalizations encode information,” said George Wittemyer, a conservation biologist and co-author of the study. “We need to figure that out before we can make deeper progress.”
Despite these unanswered questions, the study highlights the remarkable social intelligence of elephants. Their ability to use specific vocalizations to address one another points to a sophisticated understanding of social bonds. “For elephants to address each other in this way, they must learn to associate sounds with specific individuals and use those sounds to capture their attention,” Pardo said. “This reflects their deep understanding of social relationships and the importance of maintaining many different bonds within their communities.”