New research shows African elephants call each other by name

Did you know that humans are not the only creatures that call each other by name?

Researchers have confirmed that elephants also call out to one another using unique sounds, proving that names are not a uniquely human invention.

A study conducted by researchers in Amboseli and Samburu National Parks has revealed that elephants, like people, call an individual by name over long distances or when adults address calves. 

The research was published in Nature Ecology and Evolution. 

“Here, we present evidence that wild African elephants address one another with individually specific calls, probably without relying on imitation of the receiver,” the researchers noted.

Over four years of intensive tracking of elephant herds in the Samburu and Amboseli landscapes, the scientists discovered a clear linguistic pattern.

By following the herds and recording 470 vocal interactions, they identified a sophisticated network of 101 callers and 117 receivers. The dataset provided evidence that elephants were not just making noise but were addressing each other individually.

Researchers had long suspected that elephants had names for each other based on how they interacted, a reason they set out to study. They used computer programs to study the sounds they had recorded and confirmed that elephants actually have a name built into them.

“We used machine learning to demonstrate that the receiver of a call could be predicted from the call’s acoustic structure, regardless of how similar the call was to the receiver’s vocalisations,” the researchers noted.

To prove their theory, researchers played the recorded 'names' back to the elephants. Elephants showed a much stronger response to calls originally intended for them than to calls meant for a different family member.

They reacted enthusiastically, often calling back or walking toward the sound only when they heard a recording addressed to them. When they heard a call meant for someone else, they mostly ignored it. This proves that elephants address each other as individuals.

Scientists say they need much more research to find the exact names hidden inside elephant calls. They are also eager to find out if elephants name other important things, like water, food, or specific locations. If they do, it would mean elephants have a much more developed vocabulary.

With the discovery, researchers hope to strengthen the case for their protection. African elephants are classified as endangered, facing the threats of ivory poaching and shrinking habitats. Because their massive size requires vast roaming grounds, they often clash with human development.