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: 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)