Touch-Wound

Using the trunk to touch a wound or painful part of the body. Elephants are often observed to repeatedly touch or Dust their wounds. See also Dust-Wound.

References: Poole & Granli 2021. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Foraging & Comfort Technique

Touch-Wound

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (1)

Aloisio’s deformed right tusk has recently fallen out - indeed we actually found it lying on the road. The cavity is obviously causing him some pain as he continually touches and dusts it. At one point he pushes his trunk against a tree as if to push against the wound - as this is not the form he would use to push it over. In another clip he rests his head against the tree as if he is not feeling particularly good. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)