The Minds of Elephants
and other facts
Elephants are incredibly majestic animals, admired for their strength, beauty, and intelligence. They’re an iconic symbol of Africa’s wildlife. An elephant’s brain is three times the size of a human brain, with five times as many neurons. Their capacity for intellect and emotion is huge. Because of this, elephants think, feel and have the same ability as humans to make considered decisions and follow split-second instincts. Elephant memories span decades and continue to do so when passed down to future generations. This impressive memory bank serves matriarchs well during dry seasons when they need to guide their herd, sometimes tens of miles, to watering holes and fresh foraging locations that they remember from their past. These historic migration routes are mapped and stored by elephants creating their very own GPS system.
Family Structure
Elephants form tight family bonds and live in close matriarchal family groups of related females and calves. The gestation period for an elephant is twenty-two months, with females only coming into heat every four years, making the birth of a newborn baby an incredibly special occasion. Infants are not only cared for by their mother, but by other females in the herd.
Elephant Communication
Elephant communication involves both direct and subtle movements; gestures and even sign language. Their ability to send signals over vast distances, without the aid of technology, far surpasses the capabilities of humans. Elephants use over sixty different calls to communicate. The most recognisable to us is the high-frequency trumpet or their deep bellows. But these extraordinary mammals also produce sub-sonic rumbles that are sent infrasonically below our own hearing range. The communication sound range of an elephant has been recorded to travel up to ten kilometres to herds elsewhere. These underground messages are picked up by their feet which act like huge receivers, perfecting the art of long-distance calling.
A long, powerful and highly modulated rumble by an adult female:
Under Threat
One elephant is being killed, on average, every fifteen minutes in Africa. The lucrative trade in ivory drives the continued poaching of elephants. In addition, a battle for limited natural resources is ensuing with farming communities living in increasingly close proximity to the elephants. This growing conflict with people contributes to hundreds of elephant deaths each year.
Learn more about the beekeeping solution that is creating meaningful coexistence between people and elephants in Tanzania. Follow the link to Wild Survivors, below. Find out about the community-managed projects, where conflict is avoided and villagers become ambassadors of their national heritage, protecting elephants from poaching threats and loss of habitat.