Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

A single slight dipping and raising movement of the head, combined with a reaching out and touching of the ground with the trunk. This display is observed in all age/sex groups is typically seen when an elephant is confronting a threat.

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

This behavioral constellation includes the following behaviors: Head-Dip, Look-At, Trunk-Toward and occurs in the following context(s): Aggressive, Conflict & Confrontation

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (1)

G7 threatens us as he Advances-Toward us. He Stands-Tall and does a Head-Dip-Touch-Ground. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (2)

Mwana Nzo has just moved up smartly to sniff the scent of our tire tracks. She sniffs with a Head-Dip-Touch-Ground and then Stands-Tall looking at Kate’s/Greg’s car and then decides, correctly, that it is us (filmed from our perspective). 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 and a Kick-Dust. She reconsiders and begins Backing-Away and Touches-Ground. She turns and leads a Full-Retreat and adopts the Rear-Guard position, Standing-Tall and turning to Look-Back. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (3)

Mwana Nzo has just moved up smartly to sniff the scent of our tire tracks. She sniffs with a Head-Dip-Touch-Ground and then Stands-Tall looking at Kate’s/Greg’s car (their perspective) and then decides, correctly, that it is 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 and a Kick-Dust. She reconsiders and begins Backing-Away and Touch-Ground. She turns and leads a Full-Retreat and adopts the Rear-Guard, Standing-Tall and turning to Look-Back. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (4)

gm0016 suddenly gets spooked by the presence of the vehicle and as he walks away he Ear-Spreads and does a couple of Head-Dip-Touch-Ground movements. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (5)

G7 threatens us as he Advances-Toward us. He Stands-Tall and does a Head-Dip-Touch-Ground. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (6)

Ruby's 1 year old male calf Advance-Toward the vehicle. He does a Head-Dip-Touch-Ground with a Trunk-Drag, and then Kicks-Dust x 2 and Stands-Tall, as if practicing his displays. It is interesting that he has acquired these behaviors at such a young age. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (7)

A family of elephants with an infant visits Naboisho Conservancy from the Pardamat Hills. Since they are strangers and live in an unprotected area, they are wary of people. Their apprehension can be seen in their defensive behavior.

The clip begins with two of the elephants, a juvenile female (left) and an adult female(center) adopting a Periscope-Stance. The juvenile female Head-Shakes. An adolescent female (right) Head-Dip-Touch-Ground x 2 as she follows the others. The camera pans to the left as the adult female and mother of the infant turns toward the vehicle and Head-Dip-Touch-Ground. They walk on. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Conflict & Confrontation (8)

Musth male, Rui, stands Listening and then Advances-Toward us while Ear-Spreading. He walks to a termite mound to Attain-Higher-Ground and Stands-Tall. Notice how he Head-Dip-Touch-Ground slightly before going up the mound. On the mound he stands Foot-Lifting before he does another Head-Dip-Touch-Ground and goes back off the mound. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (1)

Little E is 8 days old and allomother, Lorato, is taking seriously her job of looking after him. She comes out of the bushes where her family is resting, finds the filmmakers and then threatens them by Advancing-Toward them and displaying a Head-Dip-Touch-Ground followed by Head-Shaking, then she Back-Toward Mama Little E who is resting under the tree with her infant. As she does so she Touch-Self expressing her ambivalence. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (2)

Little E is 16 days old. His family is trying to get across a rocky river bed. Mama Little E slips and falls and lands on Little E. Little E roars, someone snorts and females rumble and display Tail-Raising. We see V-Notch, left, whirl around and Redirect-Aggression. She and Latino (right) display Ear-Spreading and Standing-Tall and they both Head-Dip-Touch-Ground. Mama Little E touches the stones and rocks as if to check out what went wrong! Latino (right) also Scrapes-Ground. V-Notch and Mama Little E touch (Trunk-to-Body) Little E. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (1)

This clip is part of a long series in which we are Charged. Berta, gf0009, signals her intent to Charge with a Perpendicular-Walk and then turns toward us with a Bow-Neck-Advance-Toward. Notice that she does several Head-Dip-Touch-Ground movements as she walks. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (2)

This clip is taken from a longer sequence of behavior of the I family. As the clip starts matriarch iJunia, gf0005, has slowed her Charge to a Bow-Neck-Advance-Toward. She takes the lead with Isabella, gf0038, by her side and a tiny baby in tow. iJunia Head-Dips. They stop near us and Isabella reaches Trunk-to-Mouth to iJunia. They Bunch facing us Standing-Tall and Head-Swinging and iJunia does a Head-Dip-Touch-Ground. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (3)

Marcela raises her head in an exaggerated Standing-Tall posture and then, as the camera comes into focus, she Charges lowering her head. She runs about 9 paces and then pulls herself up short. Then she Backs-Away as she does she makes 3 Head-Dip-Touch-Ground movement - as if sniffing ground where we were. All Bunch. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Attacking & Mobbing (4)

As part of a long Group-Charge Marcela, gf0017, takes over from Mwana Nzo, gf0016. Here she is in full Charge. Notice how she raises her Head-High and lowers it. When her head is lowered she engages in Trunk-Bounce-Drag. She Trumpet-Blasts twice and as we pull away she slows and does two Head-Dip-Touch-Ground movements. Her Charge is replaced by Valente, gf0013. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Social Play (1)

An adolescent male (less than 9 years old) is with his family moving while feeding. He spots the filmmakers car and playfully threatens it. He stretches his head down and forward adopting a Bow-Neck-Advance-Toward, while simultaneously touching his trunk to his face (Touch-Self). He touches a piece of vegetation as if to eat it but halfheartedly kicks it instead.

Then he does an overly dramatic Head-Dip-Touch-Ground, then sniffs the ground with his trunk - as if the vehicle may have passed there - steps forward again, raises himself to his full height, Standing-Tall, and the Retreat-From-Back as he Touch-Self again and does a second Head-Dip-Touch-Ground. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Head-Dip-Touch-Ground

Context: Social Play (2)

There has just been a big drama in this group with one family trying to kidnap a newborn from another. The elephants are all worked up. Some adolescents come over to our car engaging with us with a few Head-Dip and Head-Dip-Touch-Ground playful threats. One reverses with a Snort and a half Head-Shake. (Amboseli, Kenya)