- African elephants greet each other by combining vocalizations and gestures
- This includes roaring, tail wagging, rump waving, and rearward approach
As humans, we usually greet each other with a “hello” combined with a wave, a handshake, or even a hug.
Now it turns out that elephants do something similar.
Researchers have found that African elephants greet each other by combining vocalizations and gestures, such as rumbling with flapping ears or trumpeting with spread ears.
A team from the University of Vienna analyzed 89 greeting events consisting of 1,282 behaviors – a combination of physical actions and vocalizations – in a herd of semi-captive elephants in Zimbabwe.
Greeting behavior also included roaring, tail wagging, trunk waving, and approaching the other elephant backwards.
Researchers have found that African elephants greet each other by combining vocalizations and gestures, such as rumbling with flapping ears or trumpeting with spread ears.
A team from the University of Vienna analyzed 89 greeting events consisting of 1,282 behaviors – a combination of physical actions and vocalizations – in a herd of semi-captive elephants in Zimbabwe
The researchers found that the combination of rumbling and flapping the ears was the most common form of greeting, although this was used more often between women than between men.
They also noted that urination, feces and secretions from a sweat gland unique to elephants were present in 71 percent of greetings – suggesting that scent may play an important role in saying hello.
The scientists found that the communication methods the elephants used during the greetings varied depending on whether the other elephant was looking at them.
They were more likely to make visual gestures such as spreading their ears, reaching their trunk or waving their trunk when they were being watched, but were more likely to use gestures that produce a sound – such as flapping their ears and slapping their ears. with its ears back – or touch the recipient with its trunk when it is not being watched.
Greeting behavior includes roaring, tail wagging, trunk waving, and approaching the other elephant backwards
The scientists found that the communication methods the elephants used during the greetings varied depending on whether the other elephant was looking at them
The extended greetings of close women are thought to promote recognition and strengthen social bonds.
Meanwhile, a recent study suggested that male elephants point their trunks toward other males to “enable positive interactions” or assess chemical information.
Writing in the journal Communications Biology, the researchers said: ‘Our results suggest that social relationships flexibly influence elephants’ use of cues during greeting, supporting the hypothesis that elaborate greeting behavior functions to strengthen social bonds upon reunion.’
Previous research has shown that chimpanzees and other apes also combine vocalizations and gestures and change their communication methods in response to whether they are being watched.
A study published last year revealed another similarity between elephants and humans.
Researchers found that elephants can vary what they eat each night and adjust their diet based not only on what is available, but also on their preferences and physiological needs.
For example, a pregnant elephant may have different desires and needs at different times in her pregnancy.
The findings also form the basis for theories about why a group of elephants can forage together: the individual animals don’t always eat exactly the same plants at the same time, so there will usually be enough plants to go around.