Perpendicular-Walk

Purposeful-Walking by a lead female that aims perpendicular to, rather than directly toward, a predator or perceived threat. The head is held high or in a Bow-Neck (see Bow-Neck and Bow-Neck-Charge) posture and tilted slightly toward her adversary. This behavior is a good predictor of escalation - an Advance-Toward, Group-Advance, Charge or Group-Charge. The elephant typically Walks beyond its adversary and then pivots or Pirouettes sharply and Charges.

The Perpendicular-Walk appears to be a form of Guiding - a signal to other members of the family that a lead female is about to take an action that others should be aware of and may be called on to participate in. It is certainly a signal to the target or victim!

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

This behavioral constellation includes the following behaviors: Advance-Toward, Bow-Neck, Purposeful-Walk and occurs in the following context(s): Coalition Building

Perpendicular-Walk

Context: Coalition Building (1)

Matriarch gf0073 and her family are in the forest as we drive up. This is the first time we have seen this family and they are very agitated, Bunching and Standing-Tall. The original footage contains a long sequence of very interesting behavior that leads to the point where the clips starts.

gf0073 enters the scene from the right doing a Perpendicular-Walk and we hear a rumble. She takes 12 perpendicular steps before she adds a Bow-Neck, turns and begins a silent Bow-Neck-Charge. She Trunk-Drag-Bounce as she comes closer. She runs 10 paces toward us in the Bow-Neck posture. She Sashays as she reach within a couple meters of the car. The video and audio are difficult to include as she almost hits the vehicle. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Perpendicular-Walk

Context: Coalition Building (2)

Mabenzi matriarch, Provocadora, gf0012, is aware of us and has already adopted a Stand-Tall and then, as the clip starts, she 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 step in a Perpendicular-Walk and stops with her left foot lifted. She stands perpendicular or counter to the others now. She stands Foot-Lifting.

Her short Perpendicular-Walk was a signal to the others who begin moving out of frame to the left. Provocadora stands for some time and then takes a very purposeful step toward us joining the others in a Group-Advance. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Perpendicular-Walk

Context: Coalition Building (3)

In the background we see Corajosa lift her trunk in a sweeping movement Sweep-Trunk as she seems to direct the others to action with the movement and a Perpendicular-Walk, first one way and then the other.

She and others coalesce and she reaches her trunk out to the other leading adult female - the exhibit Head-Raising, Ear-Folding, Rapid-Ear-Flapping, Reciprocal-Trunk-to-Mouth, Open-Mouth-to-Open-Mouth and Trunk-Twining as they High-Five. Their vocalizations in the distance are covered by our own voices and the audio is not included. Then they begin a Group-Advance toward us. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Perpendicular-Walk

Context: Coalition Building (4)

Mabenzi matriarch, Provocadora, gf0012, is aware of us and has already adopted a Stand-Tall and then as the clip starts she adopts a Casual-Stance. All the while she is paying attention, contemplating her next move.

She then turns sharply to the left (from our perspective) and takes a few step in a Perpendicular-Walk and stops with her left foot lifted. She stands perpendicular or counter to the others now. She stands Foot-Lifting. Her short Perpendicular-Walk was a signal to Valente and others who begin moving to the left. Provocadora stands for some seconds and then takes a very purposeful step toward us joining the others in a Group-Advance. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Perpendicular-Walk

Context: Coalition Building (5)

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 to comes toward us with a Bow-Neck-Advance-Toward. Notice that she does several Head-Dip-Touch-Ground movements as she walks. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Perpendicular-Walk

Context: Coalition Building (6)

Matriarch Provocadora, gf0012, has just Charged us, but is not finished with us. She starts to walk as if going away and then pauses with Periscope-Trunk and Rumbles. She starts Foot-Swinging - again undecided - considering what to do. She gives an Ear-Flap-Slide and walks a few more steps and Rumbles again. She pauses and Foot-Swings again and then around behind a bush as she does Periscope-Trunk x 3 with a sweeping motion - like a Trunk-Sweep and we say she may come again take another angle. On the third Trunk-Sweep she also Foot-Swings again. It is like a tactic - the behind a bush or the Perpendicular-Walk ('feint-left' - purposefully misleading maneuver) -

She is walking Perpendicular to us - in other words not toward or away but to the side - as if she is leaving but NOT! Going behind the bush or trees is an added deceptive tactic. The Trunk-Sweep motion with the Perpendicular and Purposeful-Walk though are give aways - we have picked up that she will Charge again. As she Charges she runs through a bush - Bush-Bashing making noise and then as gets closer to us is she Kicks-Dust - adding to the visual impact.

We have included this under Coalition Building as although the rest of the family is not immediately with her she is calling to them. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Perpendicular-Walk

Context: Coalition Building (7)

The Mabenzi family is Bunching. Matriarch Valente is paying close attention - Listening. Then she initiates a Purposeful-Walk perpendicular to us - a Perpendicular-Walk.

Marcella, gf0017, appears to take Valente's move as a signal to Charge. Marcella comes from behind, while the rest follow Valente who turns to face us from around the tree at different angle. They all come in a coordinated Group-Advance. We stop ahead and Valente goes out to check the ground where we were. They stand facing us Valente left, Mwana Nzo center and Marcela on the right. Then again Valente initiates a Perpendicular-Walk, this time to the right, toward them and they begin to move as a tight group toward us - we leave again.

Notice that there are elephants in the background - likely Provocadora's sub-group - they are clearly aware of the trouble and come running in to join the coalition. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Perpendicular-Walk

Context: Coalition Building (8)

The clip begins with a view of matriarch Provocadora, gf0012, as she begins a Perpendicular-Walk. You can hear us discussing her behavior, 'She seems to be a little bit... sneaky.' Through her Perpendicular-Walk we had already picked up on the fact that she was signaling her aggressive intentions to us and others.

The filmmaker comments, 'She's gonna charge so I might as well go before she does it.' Provocadora stops her walk and Contemplates us while Dusting - a form of Displacement-Grooming. Then she begins her Perpendicular-Walk again, with a side-long look at us, and includes a couple of Trunk-Sweeps, both behaviors we believe to be coalition building signals. She also gives an Ear-Flap-Slide to indicate her activity. She reaches the rest of her family and there is faint Rumbling. She turns to face us, Body-Axis-Pointing.

The rest of the family stand behind her, also facing us. She Initiates-Movement (with a female calf trying to Suckle) and we start the car. Our retreat seems to be a trigger for the entire family of 40 (excluding Provocadora) to begin a Group-Advance on us. This is the beginning of the 6 minute Group-Advance and Charges. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)