- By Ridam Sharma
- Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:09 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Unknown Fact About Elephants: Elephants are the largest land mammals and are known as gentle giants. They have always been a point of subject for their intelligence, social relationships. But one thing which have also kept them a focus point is the way these giants communicate. They have big stature, a symbolic trumpeting voice, still elephants use very unusual means of communication. To be precise, they tap on the ground under their feet as a medium to speak to each other. Fascinating right? Let’s take a closer look at the unique way elephants communicate and what the earth is regarded as their phone.
Experiments carried out by a scientist, an author, storyteller, Caitlin O'Connell and her colleagues showed that elephants use seismic signals, or vibrations in the ground, to convey messages over long distances. In a way, the ground itself is their phone line. Here's a closer examination of the way these amazing animals turn the world into their phone line, according to the report by ElephantVoices.org.
1. Seismic Vibrations
When elephants charge, stomp the ground, or rumble, they produce low-frequency vibrations that penetrate the earth. These seismic signals travel for several kilometres and inform others of food, water, or threats like poachers and predators.
Also Read: 30+ Lesser-Known Facts About The Largest Land Animal
2. Elephant's Feet
Elephants can sense these vibrations through specialised sensory cells in their trunk and feet. Soft pads on their feet are specially modified to detect ground tremors. By raising a foot slightly or placing their trunk on the ground, elephants improve their listening ability.
3. Long-Distance Communication
Though trumpeting sounds only a few kilometres away, vibrations may travel much farther distances, as much as 10 to 20 kilometres under proper terrain and soil conditions. That explains why seismic communication is an evolutionary advantage in wide African savannas or thick Asian jungles.
4. A Code Of Calls And Rumbles
Many researchers believe that elephants have their own vocabulary of rumbles, with particular meanings. These vibrations are like an invisible layer, which enables the message to be received by even faraway listeners.
Knowledge of seismic communication is also valuable in real-life scenarios. Anti-poaching and even wildlife authorities can take help of this information to understand elephant behaviour better, defend their trails, and reduce human-animal conflict, which is a rising issue nowadays.
Also Read: What Is A Group Of Elephants Called?
Elephants are not just existing; there are many fascinating facts about them, which make these giant babies an intriguing part of wildlife. These largest land mammals have turned the earth into their mode of communication. This fascinating fact is a firm reminder of the old saying that nature is the only answer to every human problem. Lastly, if you see an elephant raising its foot or rumbling it low, know he might be dialling with its own Phone, which is the earth.