Scientists shocked by the discovery! Elephants and humans are the only ones with this intelligent trait

Scientists have discovered that elephants call each other by individual names.
The groundbreaking discovery marks elephants as the first non-human animals known to use non-imitation names, distinguishing them from species such as dolphins and parrots.

In a new study, an international team of researchers used an artificial intelligence algorithm to analyze the calls of two wild herds of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in the Kenyan savanna. Research has found that elephants use individual-specific vocalizations and can recognize when they are being called, even outside of the original context.

Behavioral ecologist and lead author of the study, Michael Pardo from Colorado State University (USA), emphasized the importance of the discovery:

“Elephants can tell if a call is meant for them just by hearing the call.”

Amazing study

The study analyzed the vocalizations of elephants in Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve and Amboseli National Park over a 36-year period, from 1986 to 2022.

Using a machine learning algorithm, the researchers identified 469 different calls, including 101 calling elephants and 117 call recipients.

Elephants are known for their wide range of sounds, from loud whistles to low-frequency rumbles, inaudible to the human ear. The calls did not always use names, but when they did, they were often over long distances and usually involved adult young elephants addressing them.

Names are used more often by adult elephants than by cubs, indicating that it takes years to master this ability.

The study found that the most common call was a “harmonically rich low-frequency sound.” When the researchers played recordings of the elephant’s name being called by a friend or family member, the elephant responded positively and energetically. In contrast, the same elephant showed less enthusiasm when hearing the names of others.

“We are being followed by new discoveries”

This discovery places elephants and humans as the only animals known to make arbitrary names for each other, rather than just mimicking sounds. The study’s senior author, George Wittemyer, emphasized that this ability indicates that elephants have the ability to think abstractly.

The researchers are calling for further investigation into the evolutionary origins of this calling talent, pointing out that the ancestors of elephants split from primates and cetaceans about 90 million years ago. Despite their evolutionary distance, humans and elephants share significant similarities.

These are complex social structures supported by highly developed brains, said Frank Pope, executive director of Save the Elephants, adding:

“The fact that elephants use names for each other is probably just the beginning of future discoveries.”