African elephants use intentional gestures and vocal choruses to communicate

New research indicates that African elephants employ sophisticated communication methods involving both physical gestures and complex vocalizations to coordinate social interactions.

A study published in Animal Cognition, led by Vesta Eleuteri of the University of Vienna, suggests that wild elephants use purposeful gestures, such as ear flapping or trunk shaking, to signal intent. Researchers observed that in 97% of cases, elephants checked to see if a rival was watching before gesturing. When their initial signals were ignored, elephants repeated or modified their gestures in 83% of instances, a behavior similar to that seen in chimpanzees. The study, conducted in South African parks, found these gestures primarily served to communicate “leave here” or “stop that.”

Complementary research published in Scientific Reports focused on vocal communications in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park. By analyzing 902 recordings of 84 wild elephants, researchers found that approximately 60% of vocalizations occurred in “choruses,” where multiple animals vocalize simultaneously. These vocal groups are used to coordinate group movements, maintain contact between separated individuals, and manage social reunions. Machine learning techniques allowed researchers to identify distinct acoustic patterns associated with six different social contexts, including feeding, resting, and mother-calf interactions.