A groundbreaking study has revealed that elephants call out to each other using individual names, making them the first non-human animals known to use names that do not involve imitation.

This research, conducted by an international team, employed AI algorithms to analyze calls from wild African savannah elephants in Kenya's Samburu National Reserve and Amboseli National Park.

The team discovered 469 distinct calls, showing that elephants recognize and respond to calls addressed to them while ignoring others.

The study used recordings from 1986 to 2022, identifying that name calling was more prominent among adults and over long distances.

The findings suggest that elephants, much like humans, have the ability for abstract thought, strengthening the parallels between the two species.