Contemplating

An elephant who is attentively following an event, situation, individual or interaction, or contemplating a sound, smell or object. The very tip of the trunk is often curled under and around in the shape of a J to point in the direction of the object of interest, the fingers of the trunk opening and closing. He or she may monitor the object or subject of interest by Looking at it, Listening to it, or Sniffing toward it (as well as, perhaps, feeling seismic vibrations).

An elephant may be seen to Contemplate the actions of elephants nearby, an object during Object-Play, the bones of an elephant, human conversation, etc. Elephants may also be observed to Contemplate an experience or incident already ended, apparently considering the sensations, feelings or thoughts.

References: Poole 1996: 121, 129, 138, 156, 157; Poole & Granli 2011 [Monitoring]. (Full reference list)

This behavioral constellation includes the following behaviors: Circus-Pose, Ears-Stiff, Eye-Blinking, Head-Shaking, Head-Swinging, Head-Waggling, J-Trunk, Look-At, Trunk-Sucking and occurs in the following context(s): Attentive, Vigilance

Contemplating

Context: Attentive (1)

This new mother is very attentive Listening and sniffing with a J-Trunk. She appears to be considering or Contemplating something. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Contemplating

Context: Attentive (2)

Matriarch Nalakite walks forward and then stops and stands attentively as if contemplating something. We see her Listening, J-Trunk and Eye-Blinking. Once again there are guinea-fowl alarming in the background. Could she be alerted to predators? Are elephants tuning into these calls? (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Contemplating

Context: Attentive (3)

A large adult male comes up from the lugga and stops with a J-Trunk. He seems to be Listening and Contemplating something. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Contemplating

Context: Attentive (4)

gm0015 stands Contemplating - his Ears-Stiff and exhibiting J-Trunk and Trunk-Sucking. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Contemplating

Context: Vigilance (1)

After a Group-Advance Corojosa is concerned again. She stands Ear-Stiff and a J-Trunk Listening and Contemplating us. After much Contemplation Corajosa Head-Shakes and Advances-Toward us and then Stands-Tall facing us and considering us, Contemplating what to do next. She Touches-Self and engages in Displacement-Groom and then turns and walks away Initiating-Movement. The clip ends here, but she is followed by Bullet, gf0152 and 6 calves. They walk about 30 paces and then Freeze and Listen again. They stand for some time and then take another 10 paces before Corojosa Freezes again, after she Backs-Toward Bullet. All Freeze. Corojosa with mouth open. Finally gf0152 Initiate-Movement and they leave. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Contemplating

Context: Vigilance (2)

Mabenzi matriarch, Provocadora, gf0012, is aware of us and has already adopted a Stand-Tall. As the clip begins she is considering us. She does a bit of Displacement-Feeding and then raises her head again and stands with a J-Trunk. She moves her trunk into a Periscope-Trunk posture but then continues to Displacement-Grooming and then adopts a Casual-Stance. All the while she is paying attention, Contemplating her next move. Then she turns sharply to the left (from our perspective) and takes a few steps in a Perpendicular-Walk and stops with her left foot lifted. She is standing perpendicular or opposite to the others now. She stands Foot-Lifting for some time and then takes a very purposeful step toward us and immediately the others move with her in a Group-Advance. The Casual-Stance and the Foot-Lifting seemed to be part of her decision-making process as she contemplated what to do next. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Contemplating

Context: Vigilance (3)

Adult female, gf0070, is walking our direction and then realizes we are there. She stops and begins to Contemplate what to do. She stands with Ears-Stiff, J-Trunk, Foot-Swinging and Foot-Lifting and then Stands-Tall. She initiates a Full-Retreat taking calves with her. But even from further away she is still considering what to do - Periscope-Trunk, Freezing, starting and stopping and Contemplating. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Contemplating

Context: Vigilance (4)

Adult male, Aloisio, gm0040 is Comtemplating us - considering whether to approach us or not. He stands with Ears-Stiff, Eye-Blinking and Displacement-Feeding, though this is out of shot. Then he moves rapidly to higher ground. Aloisio gets to the top of the embankment and then threatens us by Standing-Tall. He Advance-Toward us in a kind of lunging movement, then he stands Contemplating us again, Ear-Stiff, J-Trunk, Touch-Self and Displacement-Feeding. He has Ear-Secretion. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Contemplating

Context: Vigilance (5)

Matriarch Selengei stands Contemplating. This occurs just before the Group-March which she initiated. She appears to be considering what to do. We can hear Maasai and their livestock in the background and we know from other footage that members of her family are impatient to go - they have been Waiting and giving Let's Go calls. Still Selengei stands Listening, Eye-Blinking and sniffing with J-Trunk. Finally she decided to move and the group-March begins. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Contemplating

Context: Vigilance (6)

Musth male m0023 turns to threaten Bob and Gina, Contemplates them for a while, J-Trunk and Listening, and then Ear-Flap-Slide and Walks off. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Contemplating

Context: Coalition Building (1)

Provocadora, gf0012, stands Contemplating us with Ears-Stiff and a J-Trunk. She has just carried out a Perpendicular-Walk and is planning an advance on us. Her calf adopts a Periscope-Trunk as she tries to Solicit-Suckling, but Provocadora has other things on her mind and begins an Advance-Toward us as she initiates a Group-Advance.

As she walks toward the vehicle the filmakers start the car, she pauses, raises her head and continues to advance as she Ear-Slaps audibly. She pauses again with a J-Trunk and Looks-Back toward the others as if to see whether they are with her and she proceeds toward us with them backing her up in a Group-Advance. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Contemplating

Context: Advertisement & Attraction (1)

Conor follows an estrous female with a Musth-Walk. He becomes aware of something and he see him turn he head from side to side Listening and trying to localize the sound. He slows and Ear-Folds and stops to Contemplate it Eye-Blinking, Ears-Stiff, Listening, and toward the end J-Trunk sniffing again. (Amboseli, Kenya)