ElephantVoices with Dr. Joyce Poole

We humans are not the only species with complex communications or awareness of self and others. Elephants are highly cognitive and communicate not only through and sounds that we can hear, but through sounds that we cannot hear and through gestures. Joyce Poole of ElephantVoices has been deciphering their language through documenting, recording and photographing their society and movements for more than thirty years. Individual elephants not only know each other’s voices but they also recognize ours. They know we’re here. And while we continue to use and abuse them in captivity for our amusement, we have barely evolved to provide them with proper sanctuary and security whilst in our custody, nor can we curb our appetites to stop the massive trade for their ivory and their young for our entertainment. Elephants have survived life on earth for eons, but are no longer safe in the wild. The only question that remains is: Will they survive us?