Good (or bad) vibrations!

Image by LouAnne Brickhouse

Have you ever wondered if elephants are affected by vibrations caused by human activities?

We recently had a borehole drilled at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary and some of our visitors have asked if the elephants showed any unusual behaviour during the process.

We recently drilled a borehole just 1.5km from the sanctuary to secure a permanent, sustainable water source for the Reteti herd (read more about it here). If you’ve ever been close to a borehole being drilled, you’ll know just how much the earth shakes and vibrates. It’s quite something to experience!

Elephants are known to be highly sensitive to their environment and have the remarkable ability to “hear” with their feet”. Elephants use low-frequency vocalisations to communicate with each other over long distances and also rely on sound waves that travel within the surface of the ground, instead of through the air. This allows them to pick up on noises via their feet, registering low-frequency rumbles caused by other animals up to 20 miles away. This seismic communication is crucial for elephants, as it helps them to locate food and water sources and stay in touch with other members of their herd.

Despite the drilling's noise and vibrations, the elephants remained calm and went about their usual activities. This is because they perceived the vibrations as not posing a threat to them.

Elephants never cease to amaze us with their intelligence and instincts! We hope this provides some insight into how elephants may react to human activity and their unique ability to feel vibrations through their feet.