Student Article
Elephants Call Each Other by Name, Study Finds
Name (noun): A word used to call or talk to someone.
Rumble (noun): A low, deep sound made by an elephant.
Excited (adjective): Very happy or full of energy.
Did you know that elephants might have names like people do?
Elephants might be calling each other by name
Scientists discovered something amazing about African elephants — they may call each other by name! In Kenya, researchers listened to nearly 500 sounds made by elephants. These sounds are called “rumbles.” Each elephant made a special rumble when talking to another elephant.
Scientists used tech to decode elephant talk
The scientists used computers to find out which rumbles could be names. Then they played the sounds back to elephants.
Elephants know when they're being called
The elephants got more excited when they heard their own name! They walked faster to the sound and made happy noises. Older elephants used names more often, especially when talking to their babies or calling across long distances. Baby elephants didn’t use names as much, showing it takes time to learn this skill.
Elephants are even smarter than we thought
Elephants live in groups and use sounds, smells, and touch to talk to each other. This new study shows they may think in smart ways, just like humans do.
© Helen Pilcher / Our Media
Name (noun): A word used to call or talk to someone.
Rumble (noun): A low, deep sound made by an elephant.
Excited (adjective): Very happy or full of energy.