1. Long-Distance Contacts.
- Author
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Zaraska, Marta
- Subjects
- *
AFRICAN elephant , *LANGUAGE acquisition , *BOTTLENOSE dolphin , *ABSTRACT thought , *EXTENDED families , *ELEPHANTS - Abstract
A study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution reveals that wild African elephants use specific vocal labels to identify and call one another. Researchers analyzed 469 contact, greeting, and caregiving rumbles made by female savanna elephants in Kenya and found that the elephants come up with original sounds to communicate with each other. This type of communication, previously unknown in nonhuman animals, indicates a capacity for abstract thinking and could provide insights into the evolution of human language. The study suggests that elephants may have the ability to name objects and ideas without relying on imitation. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
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