Hugging each other, kissing each other's hands: People greet each other in different ways. Research conducted by the University of Vienna shows that elephants greet each other in different ways. For example, they can flap their ears, make sounds, and in some cases even defecate when they encounter a fellow animal.
Researchers from the University of Vienna examined a group of elephants for their study. They discovered that animals have at least 1,200 different ways to greet each other. And sometimes they put one turd in for another.
“Elephants are actually very intelligent and social animals just like us,” Peter Blessing of Artis tells Editie NL. “It's important for elephants, as it is for humans, to announce yourself and tell them what you're doing.” And elephants have a lot of resources for that. For example, research has shown that they make different sounds when they see each other and that they flap their ears in certain ways.
“They have a very cute ear toy, with which they can communicate and show how they feel.” They can do this with their urine and feces as well. “They have a special organ in their palate that allows them to detect pheromones.” If elephants want to let each other know how they feel, they can urinate or defecate. “Pheromones are released through the manure and this lets them know their condition.”
Fortunately, people can simply ask each other how the other person is doing. Although there are countless ways for people to greet each other, says Associate Professor of Animal Behavior and Cognition Anne-Marieke Scheel from Utrecht University. “How we greet each other as people is subject to culture,” she told Editie NL. “A handshake can take different forms, which also depends on the relationship you have with the other person. For example, you can hug your friends, but you can also shake hands very formally to keep the other person a little further away.”
Just like humans, animals also have different ways of greeting. Each method has a different meaning, according to Schell. “For example, a chimpanzee may smile at a fellow as a sign of submission or fear of another. In humans, that smile may have evolved into a friendly gesture out of this submissive stance. It is a form of recognition and acceptance.”
Animals can also indicate their boundaries with a greeting. “Marking territory is another aspect of animal greetings. It is not a sign of acceptance, but to let them know: ‘This is my territory.’ Making sounds can play a role in this to signal their presence and thus mark the territory.”
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