Sniff-Ground

Placing the tip of the trunk over or on the ground and sniffing; presumably often for the purpose of assessing physical or sexual condition or individual identity in urine soaked soil. All age/sex groups Sniff-Ground, although males engage in this behavior more frequently than do females.

References: Poole & Moss 1989; Poole & Granli 2011 [Test-Urine]. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Advertisement & Attraction, Attentive

Sniff-Ground

Context: Attentive (1)

Members of Grumpy Grandma's family are very interested in something on the ground. V-Notch, Lorato and two adolescent males Sniff-Ground. One of the young males raises his trunk to his mouth and performs Flehmen. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Sniff-Ground

Context: Attentive (2)

A young male appears very interested in something on the ground. He sniffs and appears to do a Place. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Sniff-Ground

Context: Attentive (3)

Medium male walks along and pauses to Sniff-Ground. Notice the blow out he does. Then he engages in a long bout of Flehmen before sniffing again. He is clearly following something of interest and does a number of Trunk-Flick-Downs.Medium male walks along and pauses to Sniff-Ground. Notice the blow out he does. Then he engages in a long bout of Flehmen before sniffing again. He is clearly following something of interest and does a number of Trunk-Flick-Downs. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Sniff-Ground

Context: Attentive (4)

Amparo is at the end of estrus and has recently Mated with a medium sized male. She walks about Sniffing-Toward something and thenfinds what she is interested in and Sniffs-Ground. I say that perhaps it was where she Mated. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Sniff-Ground

Context: Advertisement & Attraction (1)

Pascal has been Guarding Qadija in estrus. They were at this mud-wallow for quite some time, Pascal standing and dribbling at this spot and Qadija Urinated nearby. Upendo is the next highest ranking male and has been keeping his distance from Pascal. Once they depart he comes in to sniff where they have been. Notice how long he takes carefully sniffing all around and performing Flehmen. He also engages in quite a few trunk-Flick-Down movements. (Amboseli, Kenya)