Saying hello comes with a range of possible gestures and vocalizations – from a wave of greeting to a hug as you draw closer or a shout to get the attention of your friend after you’ve got a good table at a busy pub. Now, the same can be said of the elephant world: African elephants (Loxodonta africana) can change their greetings to one another based on whether the other elephant is paying attention.
Using more than just one type of greeting at the same time is known as multimodal communication. These elephants have a whole range of communication options, with combinations of ear movements, tactile signals, or different vocalizations. The most frequently used vocalization is a rumble, which includes information about the identity of the elephant making the noise.
By studying semi-captive savannah elephants living in the Jafuta Reserve, Zimbabwe, the team witnessed 89 greeting events, which included 1,282 greeting behaviors. Of these behaviors, 1,014 were physical greetings while the remaining 268 were vocalizations.
Combinations of gestures and vocalizations were used between elephants greeting each other, including ear flapping and rumbling, which was the most common combination of greeting. The second most commonly seen combo was rumble with ears stiff. The team think that this ear gesture, as well as ears slightly spread apart, might facilitate hearing a response from the other elephant.
Seemingly less pleasant forms of greeting, such as peeing and pooping as well as sweat gland secretions, were used in 71 percent of greetings. The researchers think this might mean that smell plays into elephant communication more than was previously thought.
Elephants also varied which greeting combo they used based on whether the elephant they wanted to greet was looking at them. If the other elephant was looking away, the approaching elephant was more likely to use vocalization, gestures that produced a noise, or give them a prod with the end of their trunk.
Interestingly, the team found that the females in the study greeted each other in a way that was consistent with previous observations of closely bonded wild elephants or related zoo elephants. Meanwhile, the males in the study used the same combinations of greetings as the females, which is not typically seen in other studies – wild male elephants usually only rumble or raise their trunks to smell other elephants.
The purpose of these elaborate social greetings is thought to be to strengthen social bonds and promote recognition, including during female reunions and, in this study, between closely bonded males.
The paper is published in Communications Biology.
Source Link: Pooping, Flapping Ears, And Rumbling: The Weird Ways Elephants Get Their Friends' Attention