People think that only humans are able to converse. But a lot of animals have their own way of communicating. Some of these forms of communication are quite similar to our own. From repeating voices, using signals to dancing their messages out, these 11 creatures prove that more complex forms of communication exist.
1. Prairie Dogs
Prairie dogs have a language of their own. They can describe predators in the utmost detail, defining the size and even the color of the shirt the predator (if human) is wearing. The alarm call of the prairie dog is very distinct and can be clearly distinguished from that of a coyote, a hawk, or a human being.
2. Ravens
Ravens are not just intelligent, they are downright bizarre. They can imitate human voices, recognize faces and even hold a grudge. They also use their beak to signal or point at something. In the wild, they have different calls to alert their companions of various dangers.
3. Elephants
Elephants “talk” in low tones, some of which are inaudible to human ears. Such infrasounds are long-distance, and herds use them to remain connected even when far apart. They also have separate calls for different family members, which can be compared to names. And did you know they also console their relatives after losing a family member?
4. Dolphins
Dolphins are the kings/queens of the ocean when it comes to gossip. They make clicks, and even assign each other a personal sound identifier. Research shows that they are able to remember these names for the majority of a year. Plus, they understand complicated grammatical systems underlying communication.
5. Bees
Bees don’t speak, but they can convey messages to other bees through dance. When a bee finds a good source of food, it returns to the hive and does the ‘dance of celebration’. The direction and the frequency of the wagging conveys information on where the food is.
6. Cuttlefish
Cuttlefish are highly evolved animals and are able to communicate with their body. They can change the colour of their skin rapidly, without needing to make a sound to convey a message. They display alarm calls, courtship, and even ‘cheat’ by showing one signal on their left side of the body and a different signal on their right side.
7. Wolves
Wolves have a number of voices, growls, postures and gestures. Their howls are unique so that members of the pack can recognize who is calling. And, contrary to what you see in the movies, they don’t howl at the moon. They do it to greet each other, gather the pack or mark their territory.
8. Parrots
Parrots don’t just repeat sounds, some of them can actually understand words. For instance, the African grey parrot can count, identify colours and even get angry. The well known parrot Alex said ‘I love you’ and then asked for a nut. That’s not just mimicry, that’s a conversation.
9. Orangutans
Orangutans are very intelligent and have been seen to mimic human speech. They also use more than 30 hand postures to demand food, play or mate. Some of them have been trained to use tablets.
10. Bats
Bats argue constantly. Scientists have captured bats arguing and discovered that they employ different frequencies to request food, space or to avoid being courted. Some of them even have an accent; locals have their unique dialects depending on the region. Next time you hear a bat making sounds, it might just be arguing.
11. Sperm Whales
Sperm whales “talk” using high frequency clicks called codas. These clicks are a kind of Morse code, and each family of whales has its own dialect. It’s hypothesized that their communication is as intricate as human language. In other words, they might be talking about complex topics and we wouldn’t know.
The Secret Language of Animals
Therefore, it appears that humans are not the only intelligent species on the planet. From prairie dogs talking behind our backs to whales passing down family lore through clicks, animals have been talking for as long as we know. We just didn’t listen close enough.
