In a groundbreaking experiment that merged artificial intelligence and elephants, researchers successfully demonstrated how African savanna elephants in Kenya use individual names to communicate with each other. The study, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, involved the use of machine learning software called Elephant Voices to analyze the calls made between two herds of elephants in Samburu National Reserve and Amboseli National Park. Over four years, researchers tracked, observed, and recorded 469 unique calls or “rumbles” made by the elephants during the experiment.
The study revealed that elephants are highly social animals with a rich and complex social network. Researchers observed a call-and-response system of communication among the elephants, particularly with matriarchs making calls that prompted responses from the entire herd. In some instances, matriarchs would make calls directed at specific individuals, who would then respond and return to the group. These observations led researchers to speculate that elephants may use unique identifiers, similar to names, embedded in their rumbles to communicate with each other, much like humans do.
Specialized equipment was used to record and analyze the elephant rumbles, some of which are infrasonic and beyond the range of human hearing. Researchers used AI learning software to identify specific names within the rumbles, determining that names were used in nearly one-third of the calls between elephants. When researchers played a sound they believed to be the “name” of an elephant, the elephant responded by lifting its head, flapping its ears, and rumbling back as it moved towards the speaker. This experiment provided further evidence that elephants may indeed use unique names to address each other.
While other animals like dolphins and parrots mimic sounds of their species to communicate, elephants are the first non-human animals known to use unique names without relying on imitation. In a separate study published in Nature Communications, researchers found that sperm whales also communicate using a complex system of “codas” within their sequences of clicks. Unlike humpback whales that sing, sperm whales use echolocation to produce clicking sounds, which bounce off objects in the ocean to help them hunt and navigate. The discovery of a “phonetic alphabet” within sperm whale communication highlights the intricate communication systems present in these marine mammals.
The findings from these studies shed light on the sophisticated communication abilities of elephants and sperm whales, indicating that these animals possess unique systems for identifying and interacting with each other. By using AI technology and specialized equipment to record and analyze their vocalizations, researchers were able to uncover new insights into the way these animals communicate and the potential presence of unique identifying markers within their calls. Further research into the communication systems of elephants and sperm whales may provide valuable information about the social dynamics and behaviors of these fascinating creatures.
