Tail-Raising

Raising the tail. The tail of a relaxed elephant hangs down. Fearful, highly playful or sexually or socially aroused elephants typically raise their tails. All age/sex groups Tail-Raise in Vigilant and Avoidance contexts; female adults, adolescents and calves Tail-Raise in Affiliative and Courtship contexts and female adults and adolescents Tail-Raise in Coalition Building contexts.

References: Douglas-Hamilton 1972: ch 6; Moss 1988; Poole 1996: 41, 154; Poole 1999a; Payne, 1998; Poole & Granli 2003; Poole & Granli 2004; Poole & Granli 2011. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Affiliative, Avoidance, Calf Reassurance & Protection, Coalition Building, Social Play, Vigilance

Tail-Raising

Context: Avoidance (1)

Adult male gm0016 Tail-Raises as he moves away from the vehicle. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Tail-Raising

Context: Avoidance (2)

In the pan we find adult male, Aloisio, and tuskless matriarch gf0070 and her family. An apprehensive calf moves toward gf0070 with Chin-Up and Tail-Raising and past gf0070. As it does so gf0070 reaches to Touch-Genitals. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Tail-Raising

Context: Avoidance (3)

Tuskless matriarch gf0070 is standing in the pan with her family. She is Standing-Tall, Chin-Up and Foot-Lifting. Then she Orients-Away with Chin-Up, Vigilant. She decides to depart. Her infant runs to catch up Tail-Raising. Others Tail-Raise and they make a Full-Retreat. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Tail-Raising

Context: Avoidance (4)

Tuskless matriarch gf0070 is standing in the pan with her family. She is Standing-Tall, Chin-Up and Foot-Lifting. Then she Orients-Away with Chin-Up, Vigilant. She decides to depart. Her infant runs to catch up Tail-Raising. Others Tail-Raise and they make a Full-Retreat. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Tail-Raising

Context: Avoidance (5)

Two calves are separated from their family and get a fright when they find themselves near to the vehicle. They respond by Tail-Raising and Panic-Running. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Tail-Raising

Context: Avoidance (6)

The family is moving away from the approach of a herd of Maasai cattle. Then an elephant rolls a tree trunk and it makes a loud crashing sound frightening a male infant, who has walked ahead of his mother to be with an age-mate. The infant stops and raises his head, ears and tail in alarm - Ear-Stiffening and Tail-Raising and then returns to his mother's side, Panic-Running. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Tail-Raising

Context: Avoidance (7)

Young elephants from the Mabenzi family are Tail-Raising as they Panic-Run. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Tail-Raising

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (1)

Little E is 16 days old. His family is trying to get across a rocky river bed. Mama Little E is walking slowing and seems to use her Trunk to check out the safety of the substrate. Little E is Tail-Raising in response to a new frightening situation.

Mama Little E slips and falls and lands on Little E. No wonder they have been so careful! Little E roars, someone snorts and females by rumbling and Tail-Raising. Latino whirls around and Redirects-Aggression, Standing-Tall and Kick-Dust, Foot-Scuff, and 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 and Lorato and V-Notch all touch little E. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Tail-Raising

Context: Social Play (1)

An adolescent male Floppy-Runs at the car he lowers his head adopting a floppy-bodied Bow-Neck-Charge position and shakes his head from side to side displaying Head-Waggling. As he charges he Play-Trumpets. As he runs he Tail-Raises in excitement and as he stops he Kick-Dust. As he departs he swings his back legs out as if to kick vegetation, but misses. Then he Floppy-Runs off Tail-Raising in another direction.

One of the filmmakers is concerned that this is a serious Charge and there is an ongoing discussion. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Tail-Raising

Context: Social Play (2)

Two 1 year old calves play together chasing one another at a Floppy-Run in and out of the Croton bushes, Tail-Raising, Bush-Bashing and Standing-Tall and making Pulsated-Play-Trumpets. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Tail-Raising

Context: Vigilance (1)

Matriarch Nalakite is taking up the rear as her family walks through open Acacia woodland. They hear the sound of approaching livestock and Nalakite and another female can be seen Tail-Raising. We can hear the alarm snort of a herbivore and alarm calls of guinea fowl. They stop walking, Freezing and Listening. Nalakite continues Tail-Raising. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Tail-Raising

Context: Coalition Building (1)

An End-Zone-Dance is a form of Bonding-Ceremony that takes place after a defensive action. This End-Zone-Dance took place after multiple Group-Advances and multiple Group- and sustained Charges by members of the Mabenzi family. After Valente's almost two minute Charge which was joined by the entire family, Valente and Mwana Nzo High-Five and others all gather in an End-Zone-Dance - The main players - Valente and Mwana-Nzo Rumble with Open-Mouth, while they display Rapid-Ear-Flapping, Head-Raising, Tail-Raising, and Defecating. They reach their trunks to one another's mouth, Trunk-to-Mouth, and then display Trunk-Twining, Open-Mouth-to-Open-Mouth Intermittently there are Social-Trumpets. Then Mwana Nzo initiates another Group Advance. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Tail-Raising

Context: Courtship (1)

Pascal is in musth and Amparo is in estrus and they are in Consort. This is the 4th day that she is in estrus and she is at her peak. At the start of the clip we see Pascal Reaching-Over her and Resting-Head on her while Amparo cooperates and shows she is ready by Backing-Toward him. She Stands-to-Mate. Pascal steps back and forth shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he prepares to lift himself onto his hind legs and Dram Rumbles again.

Pascal mounts and appears to achieve intromission on the 5th thrust. As he enters her he raises up and we can see that Amparo appears to be lifted up by his penis - we see her Kick-Back with first one leg and then the other as she seems to be almost standing on her toes - her hind legs out-stretched. Pascal remains inside her for 29 seconds and the other males mill around them. As he begins to dismount we hear the Open-Mouth Rumbling starts in earnest - first by tuskless Dram and then Amparo begins her Open-Mouthed Estrus-Rumbling. She stands Tail-Raising and calling with temporal glands streaming. (Amboseli, Kenya)