Do Elephants Call Each Other by Unique Names?

Elephants are known to be highly social animals, living and traveling in large family communities. Recent investigations into their vocalizations lead researchers to believe that elephants have unique names for one another, an uncommon occurrence in wild animals (Pardo et al, 2024). Elephants can produce a wide range of sounds and have the capacity to produce unique patterns that reflect their language capabilities. Their low-frequency rumbles can be heard over long distances, allowing communication and the ability to find each other should they become separated.

Researchers used a computer model to predict which elephant was being addressed. This model was correct 28 percent of the time compared to 8 percent correct using a control.

References

NBC News. (2024) African elephants call each other by unique names, new study shows. (accessed July 2, 2024).

Pardo MA, Fristrup K, Lolchuragi DS, et al. (2024) African elephants address one another with individually specific name-like calls. Nat Ecol Evol.