Vocalization of Camels (Camelus bactrianus). Analysis of Verbal Communication between a mother and its Calf - Abstract
It is well known that newborns vocalize with their mothers, who in turn use vocalization as a means of communicating with their offspring. However, relatively
little is known about the type of signals used in vocalization, as well as their repeatability. The aim of this study, therefore, was to investigate the vocal
communication of camels, specifically the communication between mother and calf. Recordings of vocalizations between a Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus),
mother and her calf held in captivity in Denmark were made over the course of four days. An FFT-analysis of the vocalizations was performed to reveal their
profiles and frequencies (Hz). The results, which are the first of their kind, show that camel mothers and their calves communicate vocally post-partum and that
these vocalizations represent a variety of sounds, many of which are highly repeatable. It is concluded that camels use vocalization between mother and calf
and that these sounds seem to be related to behaviour, which might suggest that vocal communication plays an important role in mother-offspring socializing.
Further research on this subject is now needed.