What kinds of things do elephants communicate to one another?
Elephants communicate a broad range of information from simple statements like “Oh baby!”, “Stop, I want some milk!” or “I’m in musth, watch out!”, to expressions of joyous emotion at being reunited with family members, or fury at a predator. Vocalizations allow them to coordinate inter and intra group movements, warn each other of impending danger, to express their needs and desires or emotions and to announce their identity and physiological state. Vocalizations also play an extremely important role in day-to-day decision-making, allowing family members to “suggest”, “negotiate”, “consent” or “disagree” with a proposed plan of action. Examples of specific calls might be the “Let’s go!” which is sounded when a particular individual wishes the group to begin moving in a certain direction, and a baby’s “Poor me!” umbrage, which conveys a general sense of self-pity and a request for sympathy from its surrounding care takers.
