Shake-Tree

Pressing the forehead or upwardly-stretched trunk against the trunk of a tree and, in a series of sharp pushes, using the force of the entire body to shake the tree to release seedpods from its branches. This technique requires strength and, at least when large mature trees are concerned, is limited to adult males. Adult females have been observed to shake seedpods from smaller trees. The sound of falling seed pods attracts other elephants who feed alongside the tree shaker.

References: Poole & Granli 2021. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Foraging & Comfort Technique

Shake-Tree

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (1)

Just missed a shot of G7 shaking a tree to dislodge Faidherbia albida seed-pods. We see the seed pods falling from the tree. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Shake-Tree

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (2)

gm0016 Shake-Tree releasing Faidherbia albida seed-pods. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Shake-Tree

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (3)

A series of clips show the Mabenzi family and associating males reacting to gm0016 shaking a tree. In the first scene we see gm0016 Shake-Tree. In the second clip we see gm0049 stop feeding Ear-Flap-Slide and start to move toward the tree. In the next section we see the whole convergence on gm0016 magnanimously shares the seed pods he has felled. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)