Acoustic communication in African Elephants

Elephants live in a very complex society where communication plays a crucial role in coordinating groups and finding mates (Langbauer, 2000; Poole, 1989; Poole and Moss, 1981;1989; McComb et al., 2001). Most acoustic communication in elephants consists of very low frequency calls with fundamental frequencies in the infrasound range (Payne et al. 1986; Poole et al. 1988) . In the course of the project, 2790 calls, from 23 African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) of varying gender and age, will be analysed in respect of all important acoustic parameters including formant candidates. All calls are assigned to the caller. The aim is to identify acoustic parameters that characterize vocalizations associated with individual identity, age and behavioural context. I strive for to improve the knowledge about elephant acoustic communication, and thus improve the understanding of the social live of this fascinating species. Today in Asia and Africa the elephant habitats are shrinking and thus the human-elephant conflict is increasing dramatically. Because of the poorness of most of the elephant housing countries, the resumption of the international trade of ivory is under fierce debate. Therefore, elephant conservation and methods for monitoring need to be improved (Payne, 2003). All three elephant species (Loxodonta africana, Loxodonta cyclotis and Elephas maximus) spend most of their time in dense forest, where visual censuses are impossible (Payne, 2003). Payne et al. (2003) argues, that besides other methods (GPS, dung based censuses,..), acoustic monitoring seems to be suitable for elephants, because all species produce powerful, low frequency calls that carry over substantial distances (Garstang, 1995). First, these calls can be used to detect crop raiding elephants before they approach the field and thus defuse the conflict between elephants and farmers. Such an acoustic early warning system is planned in Sri Lanka in cooperation with a local team of engineers. Second, this elephant call detection system could be used to do acoustic monitoring. Information about group specific dialects, age and gender specific call characters are the basis for an effective monitoring, not only to detect elephants, but to detect which specific group is passing by. However, to put this plan into effect, a detailed analyses of elephant calls is urgently needed to identify acoustic parameters that characterize vocalizations associated with individual identity, age and behavioural context. The results of these project are expected to give important indications for the analyses of calls of all elephant species.

Elephants live in a very complex society where communication plays a crucial role in coordinating groups and finding mates (Langbauer, 2000; Poole, 1989; Poole and Moss, 1981;1989; McComb et al., 2001). Most acoustic communication in elephants consists of very low frequency calls with fundamental frequencies in the infrasound range (Payne et al. 1986; Poole et al. 1988) . In the course of the project, 2790 calls, from 23 African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) of varying gender and age, will be analysed in respect of all important acoustic parameters including formant candidates. All calls are assigned to the caller. The aim is to identify acoustic parameters that characterize vocalizations associated with individual identity, age and behavioural context. I strive for to improve the knowledge about elephant acoustic communication, and thus improve the understanding of the social live of this fascinating species. Today in Asia and Africa the elephant habitats are shrinking and thus the human-elephant conflict is increasing dramatically. Because of the poorness of most of the elephant housing countries, the resumption of the international trade of ivory is under fierce debate. Therefore, elephant conservation and methods for monitoring need to be improved (Payne, 2003). All three elephant species (Loxodonta africana, Loxodonta cyclotis and Elephas maximus) spend most of their time in dense forest, where visual censuses are impossible (Payne, 2003). Payne et al. (2003) argues, that besides other methods (GPS, dung based censuses,..), acoustic monitoring seems to be suitable for elephants, because all species produce powerful, low frequency calls that carry over substantial distances (Garstang, 1995). First, these calls can be used to detect crop raiding elephants before they approach the field and thus defuse the conflict between elephants and farmers. Such an acoustic early warning system is planned in Sri Lanka in cooperation with a local team of engineers. Second, this elephant call detection system could be used to do acoustic monitoring. Information about group specific dialects, age and gender specific call characters are the basis for an effective monitoring, not only to detect elephants, but to detect which specific group is passing by. However, to put this plan into effect, a detailed analyses of elephant calls is urgently needed to identify acoustic parameters that characterize vocalizations associated with individual identity, age and behavioural context. The results of these project are expected to give important indications for the analyses of calls of all elephant species.