Katharine B. Payne

Infrasonic calls of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

SummaryCalls at frequencies below the range of human hearing were recorded from two groups of captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Most of the calls ranged in frequency from 14 to 24 Hz, with durations of 10–15 s (Fig. 1). With the nearest elephant 5 m from the microphone, sound pressure levels were 85 to 90 dB (re 20 μPa). These calls occurred in a variety of circumstances. Elephants are the first terrestrial mammals reported to produce infrasound. These calls may be important in the coordination of behavior in thick vegetation or among separated groups of elephants.

Spatial relationships and matrilineal kinship in African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) clans

African savanna elephants, Loxodonta africana, live in stable family groups consisting of adult females and their dependent offspring. During the dry season, “clans” consisting of several family groups typically share a common home range. We compared spatial relationships and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes among 14 adult female elephants within 3 clans during the dry season in northern Zimbabwe. Spatial relationships were studied by radio-tracking. Home-range similarity was quantified by correlating the estimated utilization distributions of all pairs of elephants. Clans were identified by cluster analysis of the home-range similarity values. All three clans contained at least two of the five mtDNA haplotypes that were found, indicating that clan members are not necessarily matrilineally related. Within clans, home ranges of elephants with the same haplotype were not significantly more similar to each other than those of elephants with different haplotypes. Most elephants within each clan used their shared home ranges independently of each other: the distribution of distances between their positions at any given time did not differ from the distribution expected by chance. However, 8 out of the 26 within-clan pairs exhibited long-term coordination of space use by remaining within known hearing distance of each other’s low-frequency calls significantly more often than expected by chance. At least four of these coordinated pairs consisted of animals in different family groups. Elephants in three of the four different-family pairs whose movements were coordinated had different haplotypes. Further research is needed to determine the relationship between these coordinated movements and conventionally defined bond-group behavior.

Surface meteorology and animal communication

Vertical temperature and wind gradients exert powerful and predictable influences on the area ensonified by animal vocalizations. Computer modeling of 15‐ and 30‐Hz sound propagation in measured atmospheric conditions predicts that infrasonic African elephant calls can have ranges exceeding 10 km and will be highly directional in the presence of wind shear. The calling area is maximized under temperature inversions with low wind speeds. The calling area can expand and contract by an order of magnitude in 24 h. Topography, regional weather patterns, seasons, and climate variation modify this cycle. Similar influences affect the somewhat higher frequency calls of lions and may be a selective pressure toward their crepuscular and nocturnal calling behavior. Coyotes and wolves, which also live in areas with strong and prevalent nocturnal temperature inversions, show similar calling patterns, maximizing their chances of being heard over the longest possible distances. The pronounced dawn and evening vocalizati...

A survey of research on low‐frequency acoustic communication in elephants

Research projects by K. Payne, W. Langbauer, E. Thomas, and J. Poole have shown that Asian and African elephants make powerful infrasonic calls, some of which are used in long‐distance communication. Although full classification has not been achieved, some of these calls are social, others reproductive; behavioral responses show individual recognition. Playback experiments yielded a measure of the distances over which conspecifics respond during daylight hours (Langbauer et al.) and of the social information imbedded in certain clearly definable calls (K. McCoun). Long‐distance communication appears to be implicated in the coordinated movements between separated elephant families; a field study using radio collars with implanted voice‐activated microphones yielded suggestive results (Langbauer et al.). A meteorological study by meteorologists M. Garstang and D. Larom led them to predict large‐scale diurnal fluctuations in low‐frequency sound propagation in dry season savannas. They and Payne plan to colla...