NAIROBI, Kenya – Have you ever wondered about the meaning behind an elephant’s trumpeting, roaring, or rumbling?
These magnificent animals have a rich, complex, and ancient language of their own.
ElephantVoices and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust partnered to develop a unique online tool that would help them document this richness.
Hello in Elephant was made to allow people from all over the world to enter their environment and communicate in their tongue.
“This is about more than simply words; it’s about protecting a language that is essential to comprehending one of the most amazing creatures in the world,” the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust says in a statement.
How do elephants communicate with each other
Elephants use a wide variety of noises and movements to communicate. Their reactions range from warnings and cries for assistance to delight, affection, and even amusement.
They can be heard making low-frequency rumbles that can be heard for kilometres or enthusiastic trumpets that are shared among family members.
Together with their expressive body language, these vocalisations create a living, breathing language that has developed over thousands of years.
According to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, all of the tool’s sounds are taken from recordings of actual, untamed African elephants.
“It’s an intriguing look at a language that connects elephant communication with human inquiry,” says Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Why the African forest elephant faces severe danger
However, it is now emerging that elephants’ language faces a dangerous future as their numbers decline.
The African savanna elephant was listed as “Endangered” and the African forest elephant as “Critically Endangered” in 2021.
“The loss of a species is only one aspect of the threat of extinction; another is the silencing of its distinct sounds, a language full of information about survival, social systems, and the environment,” the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust stated.
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust maintains that it is the responsibility of human beings to conserve the languages of nature, just as they strive to prevent the loss of human languages.
“You can raise awareness of the predicament of elephants and emphasise the vital significance of conservation by reading and sharing Hello in Elephant,” says Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Speak Elephant, Share Hope
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust further insists that elephants are not an exception to the rule that language acquisition is about connection, but they have the same passion in their cries as human beings.
“Saying hello in Elephant not only allows you to communicate in local vernacular, but it also contributes to a global effort to preserve it. You become a part of the narrative to preserve their voices for future generations, whether you convey a message of love, hope, or curiosity,” the statement further reads.
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust reiterated that its goal is for this tool to transcend its initial novelty and develop into a useful and entertaining means of raising awareness and conservation of elephants in educational contexts such as classrooms or interactive displays in museums, science centres, or public areas.
“Using analogies to human cultural preservation initiatives, it is a chance to advocate for the preservation of both the species and its “language.” Let’s work together to give this language the recognition it merits. Languages are, after all, intended to be spoken, shared, and honoured,” explained Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
