How Elephants Greet Each Other: A Glimpse into Their Social Bonds

Humans often greet each other with a simple “hello” accompanied by a wave, handshake, or hug. Elephants, it turns out, have their unique way of saying hello.

African elephants greet each other using a combination of vocalizations and gestures, such as rumbling paired with ear flapping or trumpeting along with ear spreading.

A team from the University of Vienna conducted a study analyzing 89 greeting events involving 1,282 behaviors in a herd of semi-captive elephants in Zimbabwe. These greetings were a mix of physical actions and sounds.

Researchers observed that the most common greeting was a combination of rumbling and ear flapping, a behavior more frequently seen among female elephants than males.

Additionally, urination, defecation, and secretions from a special elephant sweat gland were present in 71% of these greetings, highlighting the importance of smell in their interactions.

Interestingly, the study revealed that elephants adjust their greeting behaviors based on whether they are being observed.

When other elephants were watching, they used more visual gestures like ear spreading, trunk reaching, or trunk swinging.

In contrast, when not being watched, they relied more on sound-producing gestures such as ear flapping and slapping their ears on their necks or touching the other elephants with their trunks.

These elaborate greeting rituals, especially among closely bonded females, enhance recognition and strengthen social bonds.

Moreover, a recent study suggested that male elephants use their trunks to direct toward other males to facilitate positive interactions or gather chemical information.

The researchers, writing in the journal Communications Biology, concluded: “Our results suggest that social relationships flexibly impact the use of signals by elephants during greeting and support the hypothesis that elaborate greeting behavior functions to strengthen social bonds upon reunion.”

This study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that elephants, like chimpanzees and other apes, combine vocalizations and gestures and modify their communication methods based on their audience.

Furthermore, previous research has revealed similarities between elephants and humans, such as varying their diet nightly based on availability, preferences, and physiological needs.

For example, a pregnant elephant might have different cravings and nutritional requirements at various stages of her pregnancy.

These findings also provide insight into why groups of elephants may forage together. Individual elephants do not always eat the same plants simultaneously, ensuring that there are usually enough plants.