Elephants Unveil Astonishing Ability to Use Names

Researchers have discovered evidence that wild savannah elephants in Kenya use specific vocal sounds to label and communicate with each other, potentially giving them individual 'names'. While not yet peer-reviewed, if verified, this would make elephants the only known non-human animals to communicate with random names. The study found that certain rumbles were specific to individual receivers and were not based on imitation. When played back to wild elephants, individuals responded more quickly to their own 'name' and vocalized faster. These vocal labels appeared to be relatively consistent across the herd, similar to how humans use names. The findings suggest that artificial intelligence programs can help us better understand animal communication and potentially call elephants by their names in the future.