We’ve all heard an elephant trumpet, but what does a rumble or a squeak sound like? Where in the body are these sounds produced, and what do they mean?

In this week’s episode, we explore the fascinating world of elephant communication. From audible vocalizations to infrasonic and seismic communication beyond human hearing, we discuss the many ways elephants share information with one another.

We also explore how captivity may influence communication. How do elephants who have spent years—or even decades—in isolation learn to “talk elephant” when they finally get the chance to live with other elephants? Is communication instinctive, learned, or a combination of both?

Actually, our conversation starts with a surprising, and rather funny, misunderstanding over the word “torch”, proving that communication can be complicated even when humans are speaking the same language.

PS: No slugs were harmed during or after this recording. 💚

Links:

❤️ Become a Pathfinder and support our work starting at USD10 a month.

❤️Stay connected on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads & YouTube.

The episode transcript can be found here.

Email: We’d love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.org

Who we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where former zoo and circus elephants from across South America live their best lives.

Website: https://globalelephants.org/

Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!

Thank you for your support!

While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…

This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.

© 2023 Global Sanctuary for Elephants

A big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.