Trunk-Toward

Using the trunk to point toward or sniff toward an individual, object or scent of interest. The trunk is held relatively straight and pointed in the direction of the object of interest. While the assumption has been that this behavior indicates that the individual is sniffing, we changed the term from Sniff-Toward to Trunk-Toward, because we believe that the behavior may, sometimes, serve a visual signalling function, as in drawing the attention of others to an individual or object of interest. All age/sex groups engage in Trunk-Toward.

References: Rasmussen & Schulte 1998; Poole 1999a; Poole & Granli 2003; Poole & Granli 2011 [Sniff-Toward/Hovering-Sniff]. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Advertisement & Attraction, Attentive, Birth, Calf Reassurance & Protection, Conflict & Confrontation, Submissive, Vigilance

Trunk-Toward

Context: Attentive (1)

A family group is walking past the filmmakers vehicle. A calf and a juvenile are curious and reach their Trunks-Toward something of interest, which may be the vehicles' occupants. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Attentive (2)

As elephants walk past the filmmakers vehicle, the Trunk-Toward by two elephants indicates that they are aware of our presence outside the vehicle. We were sitting on the ground. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Attentive (3)

f0256 reaches her Trunk-Toward the filmmakers and then comes up close and studies them with her eyes open. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Attentive (4)

A medium sized male is interested in us or what is in our car and reaches his Trunk-Toward us. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Attentive (5)

A young male walks out onto the plains alone (with giraffes behind him) sniffing toward something. He reaches his Trunk-Toward something of interest and then turns around and walks back where he came from. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (1)

G7 Advances-Toward us and Stands-Tall, Ear-Spreading. As he approaches he does a Head-Dip-Touch-Ground a few times. He towers over us and reaches his Trunk-Toward us while Ear-Spreading. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (2)

The Mabenzi family is responding to the tire tracks and Mwana Nzo has moved up smartly to check the track. She sniffs and then Stands-Tall looking at Kate’s/Greg’s car x 2 and then sniffs again and decides, correctly, that it is us. She turns on us Standing-Tall and then begins a what looks like a Charge but is only a few Bow-Neck-Advance and then Kick-Dust. She reconsiders and begins Backing-Away and Touch-Ground. Before departing she reaches her Trunk-Toward us and then she turns away. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Vigilance (1)

A young male reaches his Trunk-Toward us as he contemplates whether to depart. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Vigilance (2)

Matriarch Gina's adolescent male approaches the filmmakers car and Trunk-Toward them in curiosity but his slight Body-Jolt and Ear-Spreading suggests an element of vigilance. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Vigilance (3)

An adult female Trunk-Toward something in the vegetation in the lugga. It seemed that it might have been the young male, but then another elephant was frightened by something in the river bed and gave an Alarm-Trumpet. We guess that the female is interested in whatever caused the previous fracas! (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Vigilance (4)

Provocadora leads her family in a Procession. As she walks she reaches her trunk outwards in a Trunk-Toward, presumably sniffing toward us. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Vigilance (5)

gf0016 reaches his Trunk-Toward us as he investigates us. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Vigilance (6)

The I family is Bunching, Head-Swinging, and J-Sniffing. Isabella, gf0038 Sniff-Toward us. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Vigilance (7)

One young male stands in the track standing attentively. Another stands just out of our view on the side of the track; he is concerned about our presence and stretches his Trunk-Toward us presumably to get our scent. Then he crosses the track and moves away while he Looks-Back at us. The other male sniffs us too. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Advertisement & Attraction (1)

A young male walks toward an adult female (larger than he is) and sniffs her genitals (Trunk-to-Genitals). Simultaneously, an infant raises its Trunk-Toward him and touches him. The adult female Looks-Back at him and Touch-Self. He puts his trunk in his mouth to Flehmen, and considers. Then he Ear-Brushes her, in a pushy rather than totally friendly way, and reaches Trunk-Toward her x 2.

On the second one a tuskless adolescent (foreground right) raises Trunk-Toward him in a Forward-Trunk-Swing kind of motion, as if she is intervening to help her presumptive mother. It is as if the normally friendly Ear-Brush is compensation for what is otherwise pushy behavior by a young male. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Advertisement & Attraction (2)

Conor, the largest male on the right, is in musth and is following a group of females along with two other males. One stands facing away from him, apprehensively Contemplating what Conor is doing. A younger male, Email walks back toward Conor and reaches his Trunk-Toward Conor x 2 sniffing him. He pauses to Contemplate, in a Casual-Stance, does another Trunk-Toward and then walks on Trunk-Twisting and with a Trunk-Flick-Down. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (1)

Noyeau of the ND family has a newborn and everyone in the family is excited. The infant goes over to another large adult female Nekeisha and Noyeau gently Pushes and Tusks her out of the way to retrieve her infant. At this moment the rest of the family arrives and reaches Trunk-Toward the infant. A juvenile female gives a Social-Trumpet and there is Rumbling and a bit of a kerfuffle, Noyeau Head-Shakes. They turn and all go off together. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Trunk-Toward

Context: Submissive (1)

Six males are standing around estrous female, Nastya. The youngest male has Backed-Toward a larger male in a cozy fashion as if he is confident that he won't be Pushed or Tusked - as if they know one another, perhaps related. A new male arrives in the group and the young male puts his Chin-out in anticipation. He gives a couple of Head-Dips and reaches Trunk-Toward to touch the other male, again with Chin-Out. He stands with Chin-Out and Foot-Forward. Then he Backs-Toward the older male again. (Amboseli, Kenya)