10 Things You Didn’t Know About How Animals Communicate

3. Elephants and Infrasound: The Low-Frequency Conversations

In the vast savannas and dense forests of Africa and Asia, elephants communicate through a language that is largely inaudible to human ears. These majestic creatures use infrasound—low-frequency sound waves that travel over long distances—to convey messages across the landscape. Infrasound allows elephants to maintain contact with herd members, coordinate movements, and even signal distress or mating availability. This form of communication is a powerful tool for maintaining social cohesion and ensuring the survival of the herd. Elephants' ability to produce and perceive infrasound is a testament to their advanced auditory capabilities. Their large ears and specialized vocal cords enable them to generate these low-frequency sounds, while their sensitive auditory system allows them to detect subtle vibrations in the ground. This ability to communicate over vast distances is crucial for elephants, whose social structures are complex and often dispersed across large areas. Infrasound also plays a role in interspecies interactions, as elephants can detect the presence of predators or other threats through these low-frequency signals.