Trumpeting in Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus)

Trumpeting in Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus)

• Elephants are social animals and stay in herds. Individuals or sub groups may often wander away. Reuniting is with much vocalisation. Greeting is ceremonial with elephants running towards the parent group headed by the matriarch. Once reunited they will stay together, touch each other with their body and trunks and aften urinate.
• Asian Elephants trumpet in response is disturbances and also to facilitate diverse social interactions.
• Trumpeting is a loud high frequency sound used also to communicate with herd members. It is produced by blowing air in sudden bursts through the trunks. The length and flexibility of the trunks is used to modulate sound. It may not necessarily involve the vocal cords.
• Trumpeting is also used to express excitement, distress or danger, in play or other various intergroup interactions. It is often used in high arousal circumstances.
• The Asian and African Elephants exhibit different trumpeting patterns. Asian elephants use softer tones while African elephants produce larger, more resonant trumpeting.
• Trumpeting in adult Asian elephants serves to convey an individual’s identify also.
• The Asian Elephant is highly social, living in matriarchal family groups and often reassures members of the family group and often other elephants outside their groups also who may be in distress. Information on caller identity is vey important to facilitate social interaction or to specifically evoke supportive behaviour.
• When elephants trumpet they signal their presence and emotional state to family members.
• Elephants produce low frequency vocalisations known as infrasound which can travel several kilometres. These are used to coordinate movements and ensure herd safety. Humans cannot hear these.
• During the mating season males may emit powerful mating calls to attract females from significant distances.
• Calls are adapted to habitat types allowing them to be transmitted through dense forests or grasslands.

©Srimaa Communication

Credits- Dr. Yashpal Singh, Mrs. Neena Singh, Mr. Rajesh Bedi, Manoj Kumar Yadav

Also See:

1. Elephas maximus- The Asian Elephant- Nursing, Sucking, Suckling and Weaning
2. Olfactory sensory abilities in Elephants. A remarkable asset
3. Dust bathing in Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)
4. The Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)
5. Gajraj – Documentary on Asian Elephants