The use of vocal coordination in male African elephant group departures: evidence of active leadership and consensus

Author:

O’Connell-Rodwell Caitlin E.12345,Berezin Jodie L.34,Pignatelli Alessio6,Rodwell Timothy C.37

Affiliation:

1. Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America

2. Center for the Environment, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America

3. Utopia Scientific, San Diego, CA, United States of America

4. Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America

5. Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America

6. Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America

7. Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States of America

Abstract

Group-living animals engage in coordinated vocalizations to depart from a location as a group, and often, to come to a consensus about the direction of movement. Here, we document for the first time, the use of coordinated vocalizations, the “let’s go” rumble, in wild male African elephant group departures from a waterhole. We recorded vocalizations and collected behavioral data as known individuals engaged in these vocal bouts during June-July field seasons in 2005, 2007, 2011, and 2017 at Mushara waterhole within Etosha National Park, Namibia. During departure events, we documented which individuals were involved in the calls, the signature structure of each individual’s calls, as well as the ordering of callers, the social status of the callers, and those who initiated departure. The “let’s go” rumble was previously described in tight-knit family groups to keep the family together during coordinated departures. Male elephants are described as living in loose social groups, making this finding particularly striking. We found that this vocal coordination occurs in groups of closely associated, highly bonded individuals and rarely occurs between looser associates. The three individuals most likely to initiate the “let’s go” rumble bouts were all highly socially integrated, and one of these individuals was also the most dominant overall. This finding suggests that more socially integrated individuals might be more likely to initiate, or lead, a close group of associates in the context of leaving the waterhole, just as a high-ranking female would do in a family group. The fact that many individuals were involved in the vocal bouts, and that departure periods could be shorter, longer, or the same amount of time as pre-departure periods, all suggest that there is consensus with regard to the act of leaving, even though the event was triggered by a lead individual.

Funder

National Geographic Society

USFWS African Elephant Conservation Fund

The Oakland Zoo Conservation Fund

Stanford University Vice Provost Office for Undergraduate Education (VPUE) Faculty and Student Grants

Harvard University Center for the Environment (HUCE) Summer Undergraduate Research Fund

Utopia Scientific Donor Volunteers, The Elephant Sanctuary

National Institute of Health (NIH) grant number

Publisher

PeerJ

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