Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Good vibrations lure lovesick elephants from angry farmers

It's one of the most fabled talents in the animal world – elephants' ability to "talk" via rumbles in the earth. Now zoologists in Namibia are trying to harness these seismic social calls - to lure rampaging males back to safety.

They played the low rumble of a female on heat to bulls in musth (a state of sexual readiness), who turned and headed for the vibration source. The tool could help save elephants from Etosha National Park from the risk of violent conflicts with farmers.

The trials are being led by Dr Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell, of Stanford University. She told the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Chicago that park rangers are "very excited" about the prospect of using the technique to protect the endangered animals.



"The bulls in musth were very responsive. We have shown that we can set the elephants on a very specific trajectory," said Dr O'Connell-Rodwell. "At the watering hole, we waited for them to arrive, and then used the calls to set them on one path, and then turn them back round again.

"You see the male in the video pressing his trunk against the ground. He's on a mission – he's looking for that female in oestrus," she said. The response was intense and so directed. We were not expecting such intensity.

"We suggest this could be used as a tool by the park rangers – to help the elephants to stay out of trouble."

With news video.

No comments: