Communication of elephants and sperm whales

Scientists have developed a “phonetic alphabet” for sperm whales to better understand how they communicate. According to researchers, sperm whales can combine and modulate various sounds, creating complex sounds associated with human communication. The sounds of sperm whales alone reach up to approximately 230 dB underwater, enabling communication over thousands of nautical miles. 

Conversely, elephants greet each other by flapping their ears and making soft, rumbling sounds. They communicate using a variety of gestures, sounds, and visual cues. According to the latest research, they adapt their greeting to the behavior of other elephants, and their communication has a specific purpose. For example, when they attract the attention of another elephant, they use visual gestures more often, and if not, they tend to use touch. Their long trunks give them an excellent sense of smell, allowing them to detect age, kinship, and even social groups among elephants and people. 

In a remarkable display of ingenuity, a Sumatran orangutan named Rakus was observed treating a cheek wound with a self-made, chewed vine poultice. This innovative approach led to complete healing, with the scar barely visible. This incident marks the first documented instance of a wild animal using a medicinal plant for wound healing. In a different corner of the animal kingdom, osprey grass snakes employ a different survival strategy, feigning death by filling their mouths with blood and smearing themselves with musk and excrement to evade their predators.