#africanelephant — Public Fediverse posts

Craig, the Photographer-Favorite ‘Super Tusker’ African Elephant, Has Passed Away https://petapixel.com/2026/01/05/craig-the-photographer-favorite-super-tusker-african-elephant-has-passed-away/ #CristinaMittermeier #craigtheelephant #federicoveronesi #africanelephant #conservation #paulnicklen #supertusker #niligudkha #elephant #wildlife #animals #africa #nature #News

African Savannah Elephants Use ‘Names’ to Communicate

New research reveals that African savannah #elephants use unique, ‘names’ to call one another, showcasing their incredible intelligence and deep social bonds. Unlike other animals, these majestic creatures communicate with non-imitative calls, highlighting their advanced cognitive abilities. This discovery opens new doors to understanding the evolution of language and cognition in animals. Dive into the fascinating world of elephant communication! 🐘🌍✨ They face many threats to their survival, help them to survive when you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife

https://youtu.be/6K3_rqhRiL4

🐘✨ Elephants know each other by name! Exciting new #research reveals African savannah #elephants use unique name-like calls to communicate, showcasing their incredible intelligence, deep social bonds. @palmoildetect #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌍💚 https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8we

🐘🔍 Groundbreaking #research #study shows #elephants don’t just trumpet—they call each other by name! These majestic creatures have complex social lives and advanced #cognition. Help them to survive when you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🐾🌿https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8we

In a groundbreaking 2024 study, researchers have discovered that African savannah elephants Loxodonta africana communicate with each other using unique name-like calls, similar to how humans use personal names. This discovery, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, places elephants among a rare group of animals known to use individual-specific vocalisations.

The Study and Its Findings

A team of international researchers employed artificial intelligence to analyse 469 rumbles—deep, low-frequency sounds—made by two herds of wild elephants in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park and Samburu National Reserve between 1986 and 2022. The AI model successfully identified the intended recipient of these calls 27.5% of the time, a rate significantly higher than random chance. This finding suggests that the elephants’ calls contain individual-specific information akin to names.

The study also involved playback experiments where recordings of these rumbles were played to the elephants. The subjects responded more rapidly and vocally to calls originally addressed to them compared to those directed at other elephants. This indicates that elephants can recognise and respond to their own ‘names’ even when the call is out of context.

Implications for Animal Communication and Cognition

Unlike dolphins and parrots, who call to each other by mimicking their sounds, elephants use unique, non-imitative calls. This discovery is significant as it suggests that elephants have a capacity for abstract thought and complex social cognition. The ability to use arbitrary sounds to label individuals is a trait shared with humans, highlighting the advanced cognitive abilities of elephants. In a fascinating example of interspecies communication (unrelated to the study) an orphaned baby elephant named Tsavo responds to his keeper calling his name at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya.

The findings also underscore the importance of social bonds among elephants. The need to call each other by name implies a sophisticated social structure and communication system. Understanding these communication patterns gives deeper insights into the evolution of language and cognition in both humans and animals.

Further Reading

• Pardo, M. A., Fristrup, K., Lolchuragi, D. S., Poole, J. H., Granli, P., Moss, C., Douglas-Hamilton, I., & Wittemyer, G. (2024). African elephants address one another with individually specific name-like calls. Nature Ecology & Evolution. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-024-02420-w
• Agence France-Presse. (2024, June 11). Elephants call each other by name, study finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jun/10/elephant-names-study-ai
• Perfetto, I. (2024, June 11). Elephants talk to each other using name-like calls! Cosmos Magazine. https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/animals/hello-elephants-talk-to-each-other-using-name-like-calls/
• Pardo, M. (2024, June 12). African elephants address one another with name-like calls − similar to humans. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/african-elephants-address-one-another-with-name-like-calls-similar-to-humans-232096

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Southern Pudu Pudu puda

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Blue-streaked Lory Eos reticulata

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Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

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A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

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Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

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Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

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The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

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How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

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#AfricanElephant #AfricanForestElephantLoxodontaCyclotis #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalCommunication #animalIntelligence #Bantrophyhunting #BorneanPygmyElephantElephasMaximusBorneensis #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #cognition #elephants #Mammal #research #study #SumatranElephantElephasMaximusSumatranus #WorldElephantDay

Large herbivores such as elephants contribute to tree diversity

A recent study using satellite data has highlighted the critical role that large herbivores play in promoting tree diversity in forest ecosystems. The research showed that areas with abundant large herbivores like elephants had more varied tree cover and more tree diversity. This finding underscores the importance of large herbivores in many ecosystems and that they should have primary importance in conservation strategies, particularly in the context of global efforts to combat climate change and extinction. Help big herbivores every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!

Recent #research finds that lots of large #herbivores like #elephants 🦏🐘help plant #biodiversity in rainforests! Help big plant eaters and #plants to survive! 🐘🩶#Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🧐🪔⛔️ @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7dB

Soulful #elephants 🐘💗 are not only intelligent, they add more tree cover and #tree diversity, finds this landmark #study. All #elephant species are threatened by #palmoil #deforestation and #poaching for ivory. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🔥⛔ @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7dB

Cover image credit: A Sumatran elephant enjoys a playful river dip, by Craig Jones Wildlife Photography

Lanhui Wang, Joris P.G.M. Cromsigt, Robert Buitenwerf, Erick J. Lundgren, Wang Li, Elisabeth S. Bakker, Jens-Christian Svenning. Tree cover and its heterogeneity in natural ecosystems is linked to large herbivore biomass globally. One Earth, 2023; DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.10.007 Media release from Lund University. “Large herbivores such as elephants, bison and moose contribute to tree diversity.” ScienceDaily, 3 November 2023.

Maintaining species-rich and resilient ecosystems is key to preserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change. Here, megafauna — the part of the animal population in an area that is made up of the largest animals — plays an important role. In a new study published in the scientific journal One Earth, an international research team, of which Lund University is a part, has investigated the intricate interplay between the number of voracious herbivores like elephants and the diversity of trees in the world’s protected areas.

“Our findings reveal a fascinating and complex story of how large herbivorous animals shape the world’s natural landscapes. The tree cover in these areas is sparser, but the diversity of the tree cover is much higher than in areas without large herbivores,” says Lanhui Wang, a researcher in physical geography and ecosystem science at Lund University.

“In our global analysis, we find a substantial association between the biomass of large herbivores and varied tree cover in protected areas, notably for browsers and mixed-feeders such as elephants, bison and moose and in non-extreme climates,” explains the study’s senior author, Jens-Christian Svenning, professor at Aarhus University.

Hereby, the study supports that large wild herbivores promote a diverse vegetation structure, creating a rich habitat for many other species. This is due to the animals’ consumption of vegetation as well as physical disturbances.

According to Lanhui Wang, these new research findings highlight the need to integrate large herbivores into restoration and conservation strategies. Not only for the sake of the animals themselves but also for the vital role they play in shaping landscapes and influencing biodiversity. The researchers argue that this aspect is not sufficiently considered within the framework of sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration.

“At a time when global initiatives are intensely focused on combating climate change and biodiversity loss, our findings highlight the need for a broader and more nuanced discussion about ecosystem management and conservation measures. It is of utmost importance to integrate understanding of the ecological impact of megafauna into this,” says Lanhui Wang.

The UN has declared the 2020s as the decade of ecosystem restoration. In total, 115 countries have agreed to restore up to 100,000 square kilometres of nature in total. To achieve this, more wild-living large herbivores are needed worldwide, says Lanhui Wang.

“I believe that we will need to protect and conserve large herbivores to achieve the UN goals. Megafauna are crucial for tree cover, which in turn promotes carbon sequestration and a diversity of habitats,” says Lanhui Wang.

Lanhui Wang, Joris P.G.M. Cromsigt, Robert Buitenwerf, Erick J. Lundgren, Wang Li, Elisabeth S. Bakker, Jens-Christian Svenning. Tree cover and its heterogeneity in natural ecosystems is linked to large herbivore biomass globally. One Earth, 2023; DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.10.007 Media release from Lund University. “Large herbivores such as elephants, bison and moose contribute to tree diversity.” ScienceDaily, 3 November 2023.

ENDS

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua

Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

Sunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus

Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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Enter your email address

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2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Randomly selected image:
EMC_Phase1:Clipart/IFF/Animals/Foreign/Elephants/Elephant06.iff #Elephant #WorkingAnimal #Organism #ElephantsAndMammoths #IndianElephant #TerrestrialAnimal #AfricanElephant #Art #Snout #NaturalLandscape

A female, vulnerable African elephant (Loxodonta africana) at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

© Joel Sartore 2023

joelsartore.com/gallery/the-photo-ark/4/

@photography
#animals
#AfricanElephant
#JoelSartore
#PhotoArk

World Elephant Day: Standing Tall for Our Gentle Giants

In the heart of the animal kingdom, amidst the diverse wildlife that graces our planet, stands a magnificent creature known for its intelligence, compassion, and iconic presence—the elephant.

[Click on an image to enlarge]

With their grandeur and wisdom, elephants have long captivated the human imagination. These remarkable beings are the largest land mammals on Earth, boasting an intricate social structure and forming deep family bonds.

They exhibit empathy, compassion, and an astonishing memory, which allows them to remember crucial information about water sources, migration routes, and even individual elephants they encounter.

Despite their remarkable qualities, elephants face a myriad of challenges in the modern world. Habitat loss due to deforestation and human encroachment on their territories poses a significant threat to their survival. Additionally, elephants are poached for their ivory tusks, leading to a devastating decline in their populations. The illegal wildlife trade remains a serious concern, contributing to the endangerment of these majestic creatures.

Highlights from the Logbook

• World Elephant Day in 10 Frames

• Graceful Giants of the Savannah – Giraffes

• A Few More Lion Images

Listen to your Mummy… | Masai Mara | Kenya
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#safariafrica #africanwildlifephotography #elephantlove #masaimaranationalpark #africa #safarilife #wildlifeconservation #bestwildlifephotography #natgeowild #nikon #bownaankamal #africantravel #animalphotography #bestwildlife #wildlife_inspired #elephantconservation #wildlife_seekers #photosafari #travelphotography #elephantfamily #saveelephants #majestic_wildlife_ #nationalgeographic #africanelephant #live_love_wildlife

Cute little Rocker | Tarangire | Tanzania
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#tanzanie #saveelephants #wildlifephotography #bownaankamal #tarangirenationalpark #wildanimals #africanprint #safarilife #africanelephant #naturelovers #wildanimal #wildlife #thebigfive #elephantlovers #tarangire #exclusive_wildlife #natgeo #bekindtoelephants #nikon #natureseekers #wildlife_perfection #animalphotography #tanzaniasafari #natgeowild #wildlifeportrait #animals #wildlifeowners #wildnout

Baby elephants stay very close to their mothers for the first couple of months. The calves drink their mother's milk for about two years, sometimes longer. They drink up to 3 gallons of milk a day!
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🐘 Masai Mara | Kenya
Photo by @bownaan.kamal
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#wildnout #masaimaranationalpark #majestic_wildlife_ #wildlife #wildliveplanet #africa #wildglobe #wildlife_inspired #animals #live_love_wildlife #africanelephant #africanwildlife #allnatureshots #bestwildlifephotography

How will you define this texture 🐘…? | African Bush Elephant | Ngorongoro | Tanzania
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#big5 #wildlife_seekers #ngorongorocrater #afryka #bownaankamal #saveanimals #loveelephants #wildanimals #elephants #animalelite #africanelephant #elephant #africanwildlifephotography #africa #africanamazing #wildlife_perfection #safariphotography #safari #safarilife #wildlifeportrait #nature_lovers #animalphotos #featured_wildlife #savetheelephants #elephantlover #elephantlovers

Elephants are intelligent, family-oriented and very strong. However, elephant eyesight is not the best, thogh they are the largest mammal on the land. The average size of an elephant's eye is 1.5" inch diameter with their eyes on the side rather in front. Elephant eyes are only slightly larger than a human's eye, which is on average 1" inch in diameter.
🐘 Masai Mara | Kenya
#africa #bownaankamal #wildlifephotography #masaimara #safari #wildlifeconservation #africanelephant

As a distraction from all the craziness in the world at the moment, here's a lovely image from those good people at Encyclopedia Britannica, comparing a #Mastodon with #WoollyMammoth and #AfricanElephant.

Source=https://www.britannica.com/animal/mastodon

Shadow beauty | Masai Mara | Kenya
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#natgeowild #earthcapture #natgeoyourshot #nifhivefeature #bbcearth #bownaankamal #natgeo #naturefocus #natureinfocus #yourshotphotographer #earthcapture #Wildlifeonearth #wildlifeplanet #ourplanetdaily #planetearth #africanelephant #naturesbest #masaimaranationalreserve #photooftheday #yesbbcearth #bbcearth #bbcwildlifepotd #elephants

An elephant can urinate about 42.3 gallons in one go.
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🦣 Masai Mara | Kenya
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#elephants #elephant #elephantlover #elephantsworld #bekindtoelephants #wildlife #elefante #africanelephant #masaimaranationalpark #saveanimals #animals #animallover #animalphotos #loveelephants #funnyanimals #elephantlove #bownaankamal