The Language of Giants: Infrasonic Communication Among Male Elephants
Male elephants in Etosha National Park, Namibia, use “let’s go” rumbles to coordinate group departures, a complex vocal behavior previously attributed only to females. This…
Elephants News
Elephants are large mammals of the family Elephantidae and are divided into two species, the African elephant and the Asian elephant. African elephants are the larger of the two species and are distinguished by their larger ears that resemble the continent of Africa. Asian elephants have smaller ears and a more rounded back. Elephants are known for their complex social structures, typically led by an older matriarch and comprising related females and their offspring, while adult males often lead solitary lives or form loose groups with other males.
Ancient Giants Unearthed: The Evolutionary Secrets of Elephant Trunks
A research analysis on the development of long-nosed gomphotheres, predecessors of today’s elephants, indicates that transitioning to open-area grazing contributed to the evolution of their…
Scientists Uncover Cause of Mysterious Deaths of Elephants in Zimbabwe
A bacterium linked to severe septicemia may be responsible for the deaths of six African elephants in Zimbabwe, and potentially others in nearby nations. This…
New Study: Wild Asian Elephants Display Unique Puzzle Solving Skills
A recent study examines elephants’ capacity for innovation and overcoming obstacles to access food sources. Individual innovation is often viewed as a marker of intelligence…
The Ancient Dietary Secrets of Elephants: A Tale of Evolution and Adaptation
Recent research indicates that the molar teeth of proboscideans, which include elephants and their prehistoric kin, adapted due to shifts in diet brought about by…
Unexpected Dietary Habits of Elephants: Surprising Variation in Meals, Similar to Humans
A detailed analysis of the dietary habits of elephants showed surprising variation from meal to meal, which could have important ramifications for wildlife protection and…
“Once-in-a-Lifetime Find” – Scientists Discover 5.5 Million-Year-Old Elephant Graveyard in Florida
Approximately five and a half million years ago, a number of gomphotheres, now-extinct relatives of elephants, met their end in or near a river in…
Asia’s Elephant Crisis: A Staggering 64% Habitat Loss in Three Centuries
Asian elephant habitats across Asia have decreased by over 64% since 1700, equating to a loss of 3.3 million square kilometers. Researchers found that by…
The Alarming Decline of Elephant Ecosystems in Asia
Study examining habitats across centuries reveals an urgent need for sustainable land use and conservation strategies to avoid dangers for wildlife and human communities. The…
Can Elephants Save the Planet? These Majestic Animals Are Key to Capturing Atmospheric Carbon
Researchers discover elephant extinction could have major impact on atmospheric carbon levels. In findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Saint…
Wise Old Elephants Tamp Down Fear and Aggression in Younger Males
Male elephants are more aggressive when fewer older males are present, new research suggests. The research, by the University of Exeter, suggests that the removal…
Intense Ivory Poaching Leads to Rapid Evolution of Tuskless African Elephants
Researchers report that intense ivory poaching during the Mozambican Civil War (1977-1992) resulted in the rapid evolution of tusklessness in female African elephants amid a…
Elephants Benefit From Having Older Siblings – Especially Sisters
A study of semi-captive Asian elephants in Myanmar has found that calves benefit from having older sisters more than older brothers. The findings are published…
How an Elephant’s Trunk Manipulates Air To Eat and Drink – Animal’s “Swiss Army Knife” Could Help Build Better Robots
New research from the Georgia Institute of Technology finds that elephants dilate their nostrils in order to create more space in their trunks, allowing them…
Global Climate Dynamics Drove the Decline of Mastodonts and Elephants, Not Overhunting by Early Humans
Elephants and their forebears were pushed into wipeout by waves of extreme global environmental change, rather than overhunting by early humans, according to new research….
Scent Trails of Dung and Urine Could Boost Elephant Conservation
Traveling elephants pay close attention to scent trails of dung and urine left by other elephants, new research shows. Scientists monitored well-used pathways and found…
African Forest Elephants Are Now Critically Endangered – Here’s How to Count Them
Study compared different methodologies using dung, DNA analysis, and camera traps. A team of scientists led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and working closely…
Good News and Bad News for African Elephants: Range Is Just 17% of What It Could Be
A study reported in the journal Current Biology has both good news and bad news for the future of African elephants. While about 18 million…