Nature & Environment

Wild elephants each have their own names, new study finds

By T.K. Randall
June 12, 2024

Image: African Bush Elephants
Credit: Gorgo / (PD) While it has long been suspected that elephants are quite intelligent compared to most animals, a new study by an international team of researchers has succeeded in further emphasizing this point by determining that these giant land mammals actually assign each other distinct names.

The study, which focused on two herds of Wild African elephants in Kenya, used artificial intelligence to analyze hundreds of vocalizations recorded at Samburu national reserve and Amboseli national park between 1986 and 2020.

In total, the machine learning algorithm identified 469 distinct calls.

According to the researchers, it takes calves several years to learn how to use names and when names are used, it is typically over a long distance and by adults to call to their offspring.To confirm their findings, the team played a recording of a close friend or family member to a specific elephant and noted that the animal seemed to respond positively and enthusiastically.

When a stranger's name was played back, however, the elephant did not react the same way at all.

"[The study] not only shows that elephants use specific vocalizations for each individual, but that they recognize and react to a call addressed to them while ignoring those addressed to others," said study lead author Michael Pardo.

"This indicates that elephants can determine whether a call was intended for them just by hearing the call, even when out of its original context."

Source: The Guardian

Tags: Elephants