Lifting

Using the feet, tusks or trunk to attempt to lift or carry an infant, to get it to its feet, up a bank, out of a well, or similar predicament, or to assist a helpless, injured, dying or dead elephant. For dead elephants see Lift-Body. In the context of calves or infants this is exclusively an adult female behavior, although adolescent and juvenile females certainly assist calves and may attempt to lift them. Adult males and females may attempt to lift injured, dying or dead elephants.

References: Douglas-Hamilton 1972: ch 6; Moss 1992: 123, 124, 129; Poole 1996: 95, 98 137, 159; Payne, 2003; McComb et al 2006; Bates et al 2008; Poole & Granli 2003; Poole & Granli 2011 [see also Body-Lifting]. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Affiliative, Birth, Calf Reassurance & Protection

Lifting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (1)

Little E is 3 days old and has been sleeping resting his head on a log. His mother and allomother Lorato have also been Resting. Now it is time to depart and Lorato and Mama Little E wake up and Help him to his feet using their trunks and feet to Lift him. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Lifting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (2)

Marshmallow has a newborn. She is in the company of two allomothers and a young male. Marshmallow wants to depart and positions herself to Lift her newborn. She uses her right forefoot to Lift and then includes her trunk to stabilize and support the Lifting maneuver. The infant is woken to a half sitting position. Marshmallow repositions herself and uses her left forefoot to Lift the infant to a standing position. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Lifting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (3)

Malati with splayed tusks stands in the foreground. Her daughter, first-time mother Marshmallow, has a newborn. The newborn is being looked after by three allomothers some of whom are trying to get the infant to stand up. The infant seems to prefer to lie in the mud. One allomother uses a forefoot twice to try to lift the infant and then another allomother tries with her forefoot twice. Then the first allomother tries from another angle another four times. Malati watches but doesn't intervene and the infant's mother is out of view.

This is the first clip in a sequence of behavior that occurred over 12 minutes. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Lifting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (4)

Malati with splayed tusks stands in the foreground. Her daughter, first-time mother Marshmallow, has a newborn. The newborn is being looked after by three allomothers some of whom are trying to get the infant to stand up. The infant seems to prefer to lie in the mud. One other the allomothers tries again to Lift the infant and then the mother, Marshmallow comes and uses her trunk to Lift the calf. She manages but the infant is just too sleepy and flops down into the mud again.

This is the second clip in a sequence of behavior that occurred over 12 minutes. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Lifting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (5)

First-time mother, Marshmallow, has a newborn. Marshmallow and an allomother are trying to get the infant to stand up. The infant seems to prefer to lie in the mud. This is the third clip in a sequence of behavior that occurred over 12 minutes. In this clip only the allomother tries to Lift the infant using both trunk and feet and finally succeeds though more likely because the infant decided to get up itself. All of the efforts by these young individuals have been marked by good intentions but not a lot of competence! (Amboseli, Kenya)

Lifting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (6)

The twins are with Angelina. Both of them are lying down. One gets up as Arora B comes over. She seems to be concerned that the other twin (not sure which one) is lying down and uses her foot and trunk to Lift him or her up. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Lifting

Context: Affiliative (1)

The NDs are trying to Drink at a rather difficult place with a steep bank. As the clip starts Ndabele has just been Pushed over by a female from another family, it seems. We missed that part but we see Ndabele on the ground and her mother, Nashota, using her trunk and tusks to Lift her up, Helping her to her feet. Ndabele gives a powerful Baroo-Rumble with an Open-Mouth. We can see that her mother is also Rumbling. She touches Ndabele Trunk-to-Mouth and Ndabele gives another Open-Mouth Baroo-Rumble.

Other family members comes rushing over to see what is wrong and there is Rumbling by Nashota and others. Then for a third time Ndabele gives a long Open-Mouth Baroo-Rumble. Someone Trumpets. A long low frequency throbbing Rumble follows. Perhaps directed at the female who Pushed her? (Amboseli, Kenya)