Scrape-Ground

A vigorous scraping, ‘pawing’ or trampling of the ground with a forefoot, often churning up dust and debris. This behavior is typically seen when an elephant is conflicted and is a form of Displacement-Behavior. It has been recorded at elephant Births, when elephants feel under threat, and when elephants have killed a person.

References: Poole & Granli 2003 [Trample-Ground]. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Birth, Calf Reassurance & Protection, Conflict & Confrontation, Death, Foraging & Comfort Technique, Social Play

Scrape-Ground

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (1)

Allomother, Lorato, defends Little E when he is 5 days old. She is concerned by the presence of the vehicle and exhibits Standing-Tall and Ear-Spreading as well as scraping the ground, Scrape-Ground, with her foot in a cross between Kick-Dust and Foot-Scuffing. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Scrape-Ground

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (2)

Little E is 16 days old. His family is trying to get across a rocky river bed. Mama Little E slips and falls and lands on Little E. Little E roars, someone snorts and females rumble and display Tail-Raising. We see V-Notch, left, whirl around and Redirect-Aggression. She and Latino (right) display Ear-Spreading and Standing-Tall and they both Head-Dip-Touch-Ground as they check to see what the problem was - check out the rocks as if to see what went wrong. Latino (right) also Scrapes-Ground. Latino and Mama Little E touch (Trunk-to-Body) Little E.. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Scrape-Ground

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (1)

Little E is 16 days old. His family has just crossed the river and on the way up his mother slipped and fell on him. After this incident Latino turned and Redirected-Aggression and Scrape-Ground. We believe it is just a coincidence that now Little E Scrapes-Ground. It almost looks like he is making a place to lie down (though we have never seen elephants prepare the ground for lying down). It is not Little E's day, as when he lies down he rolls over into a ditch and has to be Helped to his feet by his mother. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Scrape-Ground

Context: Social Play (1)

Two male calves are Sparring and it gets a bit rough, with the calf on the right forcing the calf on the left to his knees. The calf on the left retaliates and tries to Mount the other calf, but falls off onto some thorns. He can be seen to inspect the underside of his foot and then to pick up and move a small thorny branch. Then with his ears in an angry posture he begins to scrape his foot on the ground. He finds a rock of a piece of bark and scrapes his foot on that - or tries - 7 times - to flip it and grab it with his trunk fingers. He fails. Then he begins an extraordinary backward Scrape-Ground movement that involves about 10-12 steps - primarily scraping his right foot on the ground. Then he finds another rock or piece of bark and tries repeatedly to flip that. Is he annoyed? Is he trying to remove a thorn? We have not seen this sort of behavior before. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)