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JUBILANT scientists are trumpeting a shock discovery — an elephant that can speak Korean.
Jumbo Koshik “talks” by putting his trunk in his mouth and making sounds.
He was recorded at a zoo in South Korea imitating human speech for five words translating as “hello”, “sit down”, “no”, “lie down” and “good”.
However, it is NOT thought he knows what he is saying. Researchers reported in the journal Current Biology that Koshik’s skills could provide insights into the biology and evolution of vocal learning.
Elephant communication expert Angela Stoeger of Austria’s University of Vienna said: “Human speech has two important aspects — pitch and timbre.
“Intriguingly, Koshik is capable of matching both. He accurately imitates the voice pitch of his trainers. “This is remarkable considering the huge size, the long vocal tract, and other anatomical differences between an elephant and a human.”
Scientists believe Koshik’s “speaking” talents could be the result of his upbringing.
He was the only elephant at South Korea’s Everland Zoo for five years, with humans as his only social contacts. It is thought he adapted his vocal output to strengthen social ties.
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