Elephants communicate in a way that scientists thought was unique to humans

Elephants don’t swing their trunks around for no reason. They use them to send signals with a goal in mind. When the stakes are simple – say, a tray of apples – elephant gestures become easy to spot and interpret.

They point their trunks toward the target, angle their bodies, and look at the person who can help. If that person looks away, the show stops. If the person pays attention, the message flows.

Though silent, these gestures speak volumes about how elephants plan, how they use feedback, and how they manage social life. Purposeful gestures tell you there’s intent behind the movement – there’s a why, not just a what.

Decoding elephant gestures

Researchers set out to test a straightforward idea: when elephants gesture, do they do it with a specific goal, direct those gestures at someone who can respond, and adjust if the first try falls short?

A human stood by a tray that sometimes had apples and sometimes didn’t. The elephants wanted apples. The team created three outcomes: full success, partial success, and no success.

Semi-captive African savanna elephants took part. They’re used to people, so working around a human experimenter didn’t throw them off.

The setup let the researchers watch how the animals signaled before and after each outcome, and whether those signals depended on the human paying attention.

What the elephants did

Most elephants gestured only when the person was actually watching. If trunk movements were random, they would appear regardless of who was in the room or where that person was looking.

Instead, the animals tracked attention, a key sign that they were trying to influence someone who could act.

Their follow-through told another story. When they got only some of what they wanted, they kept going. When they got everything, they eased off.

That pattern – pushing when the job isn’t done and relaxing when it is – fits the way intentional communication works.

Persistence, then move to plan b

When repeating the same move didn’t help, elephants tried new gestures. That shift from persistence to elaboration shows they aren’t locked into one signal.

If pointing didn’t pan out, they switched tactics, demonstrating purposeful signaling, not reflex.

One result may feel counterintuitive. They didn’t ramp up persistence more in the “no apples” outcome than in the “all apples” outcome.

An empty tray can mean the session is over, so the payoff for pushing drops. No point in hammering away if the game has ended.

Multilayered elephant communication

Elephants communicate through touch, smell, and sound – especially low-frequency rumbles that can travel over a mile through air and ground. Family groups are led by experienced females.

Calves learn by watching and practicing. Within those tight circles, signals need to be clear, whether they’re coordinating movement, keeping track of calves, or handling tense moments at a waterhole.

The trunk is a communication powerhouse with fine control to pick up a blade of grass or tug down a branch. With that range, elephants can point, nudge, block, or beckon with precision.

The new results fold into that picture: gestures aren’t random flourishes; they’re tools for getting things done.

Intentionality behind elephant gestures

Scientists use the phrase “first-order intentionality” to describe signals meant to change someone’s behavior – hand me that, come here, keep going.

By tracking attention, persisting after partial success, and shifting strategies when needed, elephants hit those marks across many gestures, not just a single trick.

That broad pattern matters. In social animals with long lives and strong family ties, the ability to tailor signals to the situation pays off. You see similar logic in species that rely on cooperation and memory.

How the study was done

The study team watched 17 elephants and documented 38 distinct gesture types aimed either at the person or at the apples. They also noted what didn’t happen: elephants didn’t waste time signaling toward an empty tray.

That detail backs the idea that the goal steers the gesture. The researchers are careful about limits and call for follow-up work in wild settings and in elephant-to-elephant interactions.

They make clear that this is about first-order intent, not changing what someone knows or believes.

They also point out that routines around food and timing could shape how often an animal chooses to keep trying when the tray is empty. Those caveats sharpen the main pattern.

Why elephant gestures matter

Understanding intentional communication changes how people handle real-world situations with elephants. In protected areas and reserves, clear signals can reduce stress during veterinary checks or transport.

In community settings where elephants and people cross paths, knowing that attention and feedback shape behavior can guide calmer responses. Treat gestures not as noise but as messages that can be interpreted and answered.

It also supports better enrichment and training. If an elephant is actively monitoring your attention and adjusting tactics, then consistent cues and meaningful rewards aren’t optional. They’re part of a two-way conversation.

Humans and elephants “talking”

Tests with wild elephants will show how these patterns play out away from feeding stations and daily routines.

Fieldwork can track how gestures function during travel, greeting, or conflict, and tease apart which signals are universal and which are learned within a family.

As the catalog grows, so will our ability to read what elephants are saying with more accuracy and respect.

Elephants aim their gestures at someone who can act, keep at it when they get only part of what they want, and switch to new signals when repeating the old ones doesn’t work.

It’s purposeful communication – and once you notice it, you don’t see elephants the same way again.

The full study was published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

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