Thank you to our partners at Save the Elephants for continuing to study and save these incredible, intellectual species 🐘
New study alert: African elephants have been found to use individual calls akin to names, much like humans! Researchers from Save the Elephants, Colorado State University, and ElephantVoices recorded elephant vocalisations in Kenya, revealing unique "vocal labels" for addressing each other. Published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, the study sheds light on animal cognition and language evolution. Elephants, like humans, form strong bonds and seem to have independently developed this sophisticated communication method. Analysis of calls from Samburu National Reserve and Amboseli National Park identified 469 distinct calls, with 101 callers and 117 receivers. Using machine learning, researchers identified distinctive "vocal labels" resembling names. Elephants responded energetically to calls meant for them, demonstrating their ability to recognise and react to individual names. Read more here: https://bit.ly/3RhcLXC 📸 Robbie Labanowski/Save the Elephants #research #science #elephantcommunication #africanelephant #elephantbehaviour #kenya #animalcognition #languageevolution #machinelearning #samburunationalreserve #amboselinationalpark Mickey Pardo
