Move over, group chats—African elephants might just be the OG communicators! A new study reveals these gentle giants use unique individual names to call each other, a trait rarely seen in the animal kingdom. 🌍🔍
Savanna Social Stars
Using machine learning to analyze rumbles recorded in Kenya’s national parks, scientists discovered elephants respond to personalized calls. Imagine your mom yelling, “Hey Alexa, dinner’s ready!”—but with trunk lifts and ear flaps instead. 🐘💬
‘They’re Basically Family Influencers’
Elephant families separate and reunite often, making names essential for coordination. Researchers found their AI model correctly ID’d named elephants 28% of the time, far higher than random guesswork. “It’s like decoding a secret language,” said biologist Mickey Pardo.
Not Just a Human Thing
Humans, dolphins, and parrots also use names, but elephants add low-frequency rumbles inaudible to humans. When played their ‘name,’ elephants perked up—ignoring calls meant for others. 🎶🔊
Why It Matters
This breakthrough cracks open how highly social species evolve complex communication. As co-author George Wittemyer put it: “We’re just starting to understand their incredible minds.” 📱🧠
