- African elephants greet each other by combining vocalizations and gestures
- This includes roaring, tail wagging, trunk swinging, and rearing.
As humans, we commonly greet each other with a “hello” combined with a hello, 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 ear flapping or trumpeting with open ears.
A team from the University of Vienna analyzed 89 greetings composed of 1,282 behaviors (a combination of physical actions and vocalizations) in a herd of semi-captive elephants in Zimbabwe.
Greeting behaviors also included roaring, tail wagging, trunk swinging, and approaching the other elephant backwards.
Researchers have discovered that African elephants greet each other by combining vocalizations and gestures, such as rumbling with ear flapping or trumpeting with open ears.
A team from the University of Vienna analyzed 89 greetings composed 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 thuds and ear flapping was the most common form of greeting, although it was used more frequently among women than men.
They also observed that urine, defecation and secretions from a sweat gland unique to elephants were present in 71 percent of greetings, suggesting that smell may play an important role in greeting.
The scientists found that the communication methods used by elephants during greetings varied depending on whether the other elephant was looking at them.
They were more likely to use visual gestures such as opening the ears, stretching, or swaying the trunk when observed, but were more likely to use gestures that produced a sound (such as flapping the ears and tapping the neck with the ears) or touching the recipient with his trunk when he is not being observed.
Greeting behaviors include roaring, wagging the tail, swinging the trunk, and approaching the other elephant backwards.
The scientists found that the communication methods used by elephants during greetings varied depending on whether the other elephant was looking at them.
The elaborate greetings of closely linked women are believed to be intended to promote recognition and strengthen social bonds.
Meanwhile, a recent study suggested that male elephants direct their trunks toward other males to “facilitate positive interactions” or evaluate chemical information.
Writing in the journal Communications Biology, the researchers said: “Our results suggest that social relationships flexibly influence elephants’ use of signals during greeting, and support the hypothesis that elaborate greeting behavior “works to strengthen social ties after reunion.”
Previous research has found that chimpanzees and other apes also combine vocalizations and gestures and alter their communication methods in response to whether they are being watched.
A study published last year discovered another similarity between elephants and humans.
The researchers found that elephants can vary what they eat for dinner each night and change their diets based not only on what is available, but also on their preferences and physiological needs.
For example, a pregnant elephant may have different cravings and needs at different times during her pregnancy.
The findings also inform theories of why a group of elephants may forage together: individual animals don’t always eat exactly the same plants at the same time, so there will usually be enough plants to go around.
