The traditional bullhook used to control an elephant in Thailand (Photo credit Robert Poole). ElephantVoices’ standpoint is that this instrument contributes to misery for elephants held captive, for with it elephants are trained and controlled.

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Portable computers are vital for the work that Petter and I are doing, and my 6-year-old Compaq has needed to retire for some time! Several key functions does not work… The worst aspect of it is that the sound system has gone silent - which isn’t great for someone who works on elephant communication. A “cheap” dollar makes it sensible to buy a replacement when I am in the US on an elephant-related task in late August. We do understand that some of you may feel that computers are rather boring items compared to other field equipment, but without one I can’t do any field work and neither can I bring what I do to share with you when I am on lecture tours. We would be extremely grateful if you would be willing to contribute towards this resource.

We’re happy that the numbers of visitors on our blog is steadily increasing - and any donation is an inspiration to continue what we do for elephants! Thank you for caring!

Best wishes, Joyce

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I am back for another installment of elephant sounds 101 and we are still working our way through how elephants respond to predators. Since humans are the most dangerous predator an elephant has to face, I have been on the sharp end of some of these reactions, though these frightening assaults have almost all been in places other than Amboseli. If you visit the visual tactile database on our website, and search under the word “bunching”, you can read in more detail how after freezing and perhaps “commenting”, the first response to potential danger by members of a family group is to gather together or “bunch”. Once elephants have bunched together, older individuals at the fore and calves occupying the center, one or more larger individuals may charge the predator while emitting the trumpet blasts or roars that I have already described. Throughout a confrontation with a dangerous predator the bunched elephants may continue to vocalize with noisy, throaty, rolling rumbles, their heads raised, ears extended, temporal glands streaming and trunks reaching out to touch one another. These rumbles have a roaring quality and appear to have the effect of both intimidating the predator and calling in support from any more distant family members. I refer to the powerful noisy rumbles given in this context as roaring-rumbles.

I recorded a lovely example of roaring rumbles in Amboseli one day when I happened to witness a lion pounce upon a year old elephant calf. The calf screamed, which prompted an immediate response from its mother and other allies, who rushed to the calves side, and confronted the lion with a series of roaring-rumbles. The calls attracted the attention of other family members who responded by calling and arriving at the scene minutes later.


Bunched elephants confront a predator.

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The artwork of Virginie and her colleagues starts from a concrete situation or problem, be it political or environmental. The result may be more abstract, poetic, or quiet, but seeks to work back towards the issue or concern. For Virginie and Julien elephants are animals that continue to exert a sense of wonder, the same sort of wonder you feel as a child when you first see such an otherworldy creature. The elephant sculpture and its accompaniments are meant as an hommage to elephants - to sensitize the audience to both their marvellous qualities, and of the natural world in general, and of their increasingly fragile and threatened state.

Although collaborating with a Parisan sculptor may seem a long way from elephant conservation - we believe that protecting elephants is as dependent on public awareness as it is on anti-poaching. In Paris the voices of Ella and her family will help to secure a future for elephants by inspiring wonder in the intelligence, complexity and voices of their kind.

The following description accompanies the elephant soundscape:In the late afternoon of 3 April 1999, surrounded by her large family, Ella gave birth to a male calf. Dr. Joyce Poole photographed the birth and recorded the cacophony of excited calls made by Ella’s family in first few hours and days of the calf’s life. The sounds presented here were recorded in the first two hours following the calf’s birth, while Ella and her eldest daughter, Emma, stood just meters from the research vehicle. The majority of calls are low rumbling sounds made to reassure the newborn. But there are also more excited rumbles as other members of the family return from feeding and playing to greet Ella and her new calf. Interspersed with the rumbles are more distant trumpets of playing elephants and the short sequence of trumpets by an alarmed calf who suddenly finds himself alone and comes running to his mother’s side. A newborn attracts intense interest from everyone in an elephant family, especially from juvenile females, who want to practice their care taking skills. Ella gently pushes them away, causing screams of protest followed by rumbles of reconciliation between Ella and the youngsters’ mothers. The bonds between members of this elephant family and the intense emotions felt are expressed in the tone and tempo of their calling.

As Ella gives birth the entire family gathers around in a cacophony of elephant sound.

Erin helps Ella to assist the newborn to its feet.

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I just received an email outlining the plight of wildlife in Zimbabwe. I am going to post it here in case any of you can follow up. I am trying to find out where you can send donations…but for now I have only an email or website. I just cut and pasted so the photos didn’t come through….

“ZIMBABWE CONSERVATION TASK FORCE

15th June 2008

As the economic situation rapidly deteriorates in Zimbabwe, we are receiving reports that poaching is escalating at an alarming rate.

Five white rhino have recently been killed by poachers. 3, including a baby, were shot in the Chivero National Park. Prior to this, the rhino population in Chivero has always been very well protected and these are the first rhino that have ever been killed in this area. The other 2 were also shot in a National Park but we have not yet confirmed the exact location.

We are receiving reports that elephants are being shot regularly in the Kariba area. One informant reported that he personally knows of 18 that have been shot this year.

A fortnight ago, poachers shot a zebra and 3 cows at Imire Safari Ranch.

The number of animals caught in wire snares is increasing and there is a shortage of the drug needed to tranquilize the animals in order to remove the snares. Many animals are therefore dying an agonizing, lingering death.

Some elephants that are part of the Presidential Herd in Hwange have been sighted with wire snares on them. As the tranquilizer is not readily available, it is not possible to remove the snares and some of these elephants are now presumed dead.

In 2005, we raised funds to purchase 12 vials of M99, the drug required to tranquilize the larger animals. One vial is sufficient to tranquilize approximately 4 elephants or possibly 8 buffalo. Thanks to the people and organizations who assisted us with funds, numerous animals of all species have been saved but our supplies are now depleted.

These are photos of a small selection of the snare removals that have been carried out using this drug.

SNARE REMOVED FROM A ZEBRA SNARE REMOVED FROM A BUFFALO

SNARE REMOVED FROM AN ELEPHANT

The drug, which is not available in Zimbabwe, costs R2 200 or USD300 per vial and we are urgently appealing for assistance in replenishing our stocks. If anyone is able to help, please contact us - contact details below.

Johnny Rodrigues
Chairman for Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
Landline: 263 4 336710
Landline/Fax: 263 4 339065
Mobile: 263 11 603 213
Email: galorand@mweb.co.zw
Website: www.zctf.mweb.co.zw
Website: www.zimbabwe-art.com”

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I apologize for the long gap in elephants sounds. I got to a point where I was forced to make a whole series of new spectrograms for the work we’re doing toward an online database of elephant calls, in addition to working with a continues flow of issues related to elephant conservation and welfare. The spectrograms of some of the rarer calls had not yet been uploaded to our current offline database and many needed first to be made. I had to make over 200 of them and each one is quite time consuming.

The last time I wrote about how elephants use sound to intimidate predators I mentioned what I call a trumpet blast. In addition, they have a couple of other powerful calls in their bag of frightening tricks! The roars elephants produce when they are scaring off lions are deafening! One of the early elephant scientists, Sylvia Sykes commented that these sounds could put “fear in the hearts of men.” Indeed they can!

I was out with the EB family one day when Enid came upon a pride of lions resting under a small Acacia. With one incredible roar from her the lions ran off. When you listen to the sound she made notice how Enid begins to rumble and then takes a deep breath before roaring at the lions. Notice, too, that after she inhales she starts with a short rumble, then roars and then ends again with a rumble. We call this type of concantenated call a rumble-roar-rumble. Can you hear the difference between the trumpet blast and the roar?

Enid roars at a group of lions resting under an Acacia:

Thank you, Michelle P and Anna M, for your continued support! And thank you Nathalia! Your support is very much appreciated.

Petter and I wish you all a great weekend!

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If you go to our visual and tactile signals database on our website ElephantVoices you can find some photographs of these behaviors by searching for the words “Charge”, “Mock-Charge”, “Throw-Debris” and “Kick-Dust.” The primary function of the blasting trumpet appears to be to attempt to frighten. It usually works!

Listen to how an elephant sounds when it is trumpeting at a predator or an animal that it is trying to scare away.

An adult male elephants trumpets at lions: z0403622.mp3

An eight year old elephants trumpets at a Maasai dog: z1701525.mp3

An adolescent female, Ebony, trumpets when bravely “seeing off” a hyena: c2000625.mp3

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Anthing that alarms an elephant may elicit this kind of behavior and calling pattern. For instance, elephants may call after being frightened by an unintended noise in the research vehicle, a helicopter passing overhead, the discovery of Maasai herdsmen in the area, or the roaring sounds of lions. Elephants may also give similar sounding calling in the context of a new situation, such as the arrival of a known research vehicle. And this form of soft rumbling may also be heard when a disturbing event occurs in the family, such as aggression directed at a family member. It seems as if the elephants use these calls to draw attention to, or comment upon, an unusual or disturbing event.

Here are two examples:

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The EBs are frightened by a herd of running buffalo; they run away and then stop at a safe distance; Eudora rumbles. Note that the louder sounds at the end are made by the buffaloes.

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A young male persistently follows Eudora as if he thinks that she is in estrus. Erin is annoyed by his behavior and chases him away, twice. Elspeth (Eudora’s daughter) and then Eudora comment upon her action.

Have a great weekend!

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Our research on elephant cognition and communication, our scientific and popular publications, our advocacy work for elephants, our website updates are all dependent on individuals like you. Our blog is just a tiny window into the work we do and we encourage you to visit our website, www.ElephantVoices.org to get a better picture. To continue to protect elephants we need your support.

Best wishes, Petter and Joyce

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