Karen McComb and Graeme Shannon (pictured) have recently begun a new elephant project funded by the Leverhulme Trust, which aims to use innovative playback experiments in Kenya and South Africa to investigate how the age and specific experience of the oldest individual in a social group contributes to the acquired knowledge and successful operation of the group as a whole. For the first phase of the project Graeme will spend 7 weeks (May - July) working in Amboseli with Katito. They will begin by testing the newly built loudspeaker (designed and constructed by B&W) that produces the low frequency ‘rumbles’ which elephants use to contact one another. Once the tests are completed they will proceed with the first of the playback experiments to individual family groups in Amboseli.

See Graeme's blog about his research: www.wildliferesearch.co.uk