Kick-Dust

An individual Advancing-Toward or Charging in the direction of an offending object (elephant, other animal, predator, human being) and at the end of the movement appears to ‘stub its toe’ and kicks up a cloud of dust in the direction of its antagonist. The elephant usually Stands-Tall and towers over its adversary. Occurs in all age/sex groups and may occur in a playful context.

References: Douglas-Hamilton 1972; Poole 1996: 77; Kahl & Armstrong 2000; Poole & Granli 2003; Poole & Granli 2004; Poole & Granli 2011; O’Connell-Rodwell et al 2011 [Foot toss]. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Aggressive, Attacking & Mobbing, Conflict & Confrontation, Social Play

Kick-Dust

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (1)

Matriarch tuskless female, Valda (walking to the left as the clip starts), has been standing Head-Swinging and Foot-Lifting. Then she begins a Perpendicular-Walk, which appears to be a signal for one-tusked Vigilante to Charge. As the clips starts Vigilante Charges and Kick-Dust, she pauses and Charges again and the others join her in a Group-Charge. There are several Trumpet-Blasts. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Kick-Dust

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (2)

Mwana Nzo has just moved up smartly to sniff the scent of our tire tracks. As the clip begins she Stands-Tall looking at Kate’s/Greg’s car and then decides, correctly, that the tracks belong to us. She turns on us Standing-Tall and then begins a what looks like a Charge but is only a few steps in a Bow-Neck-Advance with a couple of Head-Dip-Touch-Ground movements. As she reaches her closest point to us she Kicks-Dust. Then she begins Backing-Away and does a Touch-Ground. She turns and leads a Full-Retreat and adopts the Rear-Guard, Standing-Tall and turning to Look-Back at us. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Kick-Dust

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (3)

Mwana Nzo has just moved up smartly to sniff the scent of our tire tracks. As the clip begins she Stands-Tall looking at Kate’s/Greg’s car and then decides, correctly, that the tracks belong to us. She turns on us Standing-Tall and then begins a what looks like a Charge but is only a few steps in a Bow-Neck-Advance with a couple of Head-Dip-Touch-Ground movements. As she reaches her closest point to us she Kicks-Dust. Then she begins Backing-Away and does a Touch-Ground. She turns and leads a Full-Retreat and adopts the Rear-Guard, Standing-Tall and turning to Look-Back at us. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Kick-Dust

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (4)

A group of elephants is feeding around a lugga when all are surprised by a warthog running past. A pulsating rumble is made by a tuskless female while running. A calf is in the lugga and several female are running to rescue it. There is a lot of rumbling and listening. As the clip begins, an adolescent male Redirects-Aggression and turns and Charges at the vehicle while Kicking-Dust and giving a Snort for added effect. Then he displays Standing-Tall and Ear-Spreading. Notice that when he Charges he touches himself on his face (Touch-Self) as if slightly Apprehensive. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Kick-Dust

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (5)

As matriarch Provocadora, gf0012, Charges after us, she runs through a bush - Bush-Bashing - making an audible commotion and then as she gets closer to us she Kicks-Dust - adding to the visual impact of her Charge. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Kick-Dust

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (6)

Corajosa Charges at us, Ear-Folding. She pauses momentarily and then Charges again, purposefully crashing into fallen branches and a log, Bush-Bashing, making a commotion and Kicking-Dust in a visible and audible display. Again she Bush-Bashes as she lunges toward us and Kicks-Dust again. Then she reverses through the branches again making a commotion and begins to Back-Away. She pauses a couple of times and we see her Ear-Fold and Ear-Flap and believe she Rumbles to her family, whom we can see in the distance. She appears to pause slightly facing to them and Listens - as if to see whether they are coming.

In Joyce's field notes she note that other females responded with the very low-frequency throbbing rumble we hear when they are attacking/mobbing us. We notice that they respond when she first Charges and then again when she pauses and Rumbles to them they begin to move in her direction. . (Gorongosa, Mozambique)