19 Jul 2021

New method discovered for tracking elephants

From Morning Report, 8:57 am on 19 July 2021

Scientists have discovered a new way to track the world's rapidly declining elephants - using the same equipment used to measure earthquakes.

Elephants - an incredibly intelligent species - use a variety of vocal noises to greet and warn each other, or to woo potential mates - including with low-pitched rumbles.

A group of Oxford University sciensts worked with Kenya scientsts and for the first time, found it was possible to accurately find elephants by measuring vibrations in the ground caused by these rumbles.

One of the researchers, Tarje Nissen-Meyer joins me now.