it’s a fact that all wild elephants have an uncanny ability to show up at the
an uncanny ability to show up at the
an uncanny ability to show up at the right place at the right time through
right place at the right time through
right place at the right time through mountains across savannas and over long
mountains across savannas and over long
mountains across savannas and over long distances for years scientists wondered
distances for years scientists wondered
distances for years scientists wondered how they communicate and perhaps it is
how they communicate and perhaps it is
how they communicate and perhaps it is through their feet biologist dr. Caitlin
through their feet biologist dr. Caitlin
through their feet biologist dr. Caitlin O’Connell Rodwell is creating
O’Connell Rodwell is creating
O’Connell Rodwell is creating earthquakes for elephants at the
earthquakes for elephants at the
earthquakes for elephants at the Auckland Zoo and shaking up perceptions
Auckland Zoo and shaking up perceptions
Auckland Zoo and shaking up perceptions of how the animals communicate when I
of how the animals communicate when I
of how the animals communicate when I first suggested this idea it went
first suggested this idea it went
first suggested this idea it went against a lot of people’s conceptions
against a lot of people’s conceptions
against a lot of people’s conceptions about how animals communicate while in
about how animals communicate while in
about how animals communicate while in Africa
Africa
Africa Caitlin noticed that whenever an
Caitlin noticed that whenever an
Caitlin noticed that whenever an elephant in the wild perked up its ears
elephant in the wild perked up its ears
elephant in the wild perked up its ears you would also lift a foot off the
you would also lift a foot off the
you would also lift a foot off the ground there’s something strange going
ground there’s something strange going
ground there’s something strange going on here that they’re really leaning and
on here that they’re really leaning and
on here that they’re really leaning and using their feet in a way that seems
using their feet in a way that seems
using their feet in a way that seems like they’re detecting something with
like they’re detecting something with
like they’re detecting something with their feet the goal of our experiment is
their feet the goal of our experiment is
their feet the goal of our experiment is to see if elephants can sense vibrations
to see if elephants can sense vibrations
to see if elephants can sense vibrations in the ground here behind the zoo’s
in the ground here behind the zoo’s
in the ground here behind the zoo’s elephant paddock Caitlin and her team
elephant paddock Caitlin and her team
elephant paddock Caitlin and her team are burying seismic shakers and rigging
are burying seismic shakers and rigging
are burying seismic shakers and rigging a system of speakers and microphones the
a system of speakers and microphones the
a system of speakers and microphones the subject of this experiment is Donna in
subject of this experiment is Donna in
subject of this experiment is Donna in African elephant elephants can produce
African elephant elephants can produce
African elephant elephants can produce low-frequency vocalizations called
low-frequency vocalizations called
low-frequency vocalizations called rumbles which are barely audible to the
rumbles which are barely audible to the
rumbles which are barely audible to the human ear when in elephant rumbles the
human ear when in elephant rumbles the
human ear when in elephant rumbles the sound generates seismic waves that
sound generates seismic waves that
sound generates seismic waves that travel through the ground those ground
travel through the ground those ground
travel through the ground those ground waves ripple across the surface like a
waves ripple across the surface like a
waves ripple across the surface like a stone tossed in water remaining
stone tossed in water remaining
stone tossed in water remaining detectable much farther away than
detectable much farther away than
detectable much farther away than audible communication but just how far
audible communication but just how far
audible communication but just how far this is the first time that we really
this is the first time that we really
this is the first time that we really studied this in depth in a large mammal
studied this in depth in a large mammal
studied this in depth in a large mammal we know now that elephant rumbles it’s
we know now that elephant rumbles it’s
we know now that elephant rumbles it’s their long-distance call that they make
their long-distance call that they make
their long-distance call that they make to other elephants what we want to know
to other elephants what we want to know
to other elephants what we want to know is if they can detect those rumbles in
is if they can detect those rumbles in
is if they can detect those rumbles in the ground
the ground
the ground Donna will be tested on her response to
Donna will be tested on her response to
Donna will be tested on her response to seismic activity the random signal sent
seismic activity the random signal sent
seismic activity the random signal sent out will either be positive indicating a
out will either be positive indicating a
out will either be positive indicating a seismic rumble or negative meaning
seismic rumble or negative meaning
seismic rumble or negative meaning nothing at all is played she has
nothing at all is played she has
nothing at all is played she has feet planted on the ground for the
feet planted on the ground for the
feet planted on the ground for the negative ones and she lifts a foot for
negative ones and she lifts a foot for
negative ones and she lifts a foot for the positive one and she gets a reward
the positive one and she gets a reward
the positive one and she gets a reward this isn’t another trial with no
this isn’t another trial with no
this isn’t another trial with no playback so she should not lift her foot
he exits and ten seconds later she does
he exits and ten seconds later she does not Donna does lifts her paw and then is
not Donna does lifts her paw and then is
not Donna does lifts her paw and then is congratulated good girl Donna good girl
congratulated good girl Donna good girl
congratulated good girl Donna good girl general curator Colleen Kinsley is there
general curator Colleen Kinsley is there
general curator Colleen Kinsley is there to give Donna treats when she responds
to give Donna treats when she responds
to give Donna treats when she responds correctly of course the study depends on
correctly of course the study depends on
correctly of course the study depends on Donna’s willingness to participate
Donna’s willingness to participate
Donna’s willingness to participate that’s the beauty of it is she gets to
that’s the beauty of it is she gets to
that’s the beauty of it is she gets to choose you know do I want to do this now
choose you know do I want to do this now
choose you know do I want to do this now or do I don’t want to do this now the
or do I don’t want to do this now the
or do I don’t want to do this now the soft skin of an elephant’s foot acts
soft skin of an elephant’s foot acts
soft skin of an elephant’s foot acts much like a drumhead sensing vibrations
much like a drumhead sensing vibrations
much like a drumhead sensing vibrations Kaitlyn believes the seismic waves are
Kaitlyn believes the seismic waves are
Kaitlyn believes the seismic waves are felt in the toenails and move up to the
felt in the toenails and move up to the
felt in the toenails and move up to the ear via bone conduction and since
ear via bone conduction and since
ear via bone conduction and since underground signals travel farther than
underground signals travel farther than
underground signals travel farther than airborne ones Kaitlyn suggests elephants
airborne ones Kaitlyn suggests elephants
airborne ones Kaitlyn suggests elephants will stomp their feet rather than
will stomp their feet rather than
will stomp their feet rather than vocalize a rumble to send an urgent
vocalize a rumble to send an urgent
vocalize a rumble to send an urgent message or a warning that must reach for
message or a warning that must reach for
message or a warning that must reach for miles Kaitlyn is proving that for
miles Kaitlyn is proving that for
miles Kaitlyn is proving that for elephants they don’t need a
elephants they don’t need a
elephants they don’t need a long-distance calling plan if they can
long-distance calling plan if they can
long-distance calling plan if they can just stop
just stop
just stop [Music]
”
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