Play-Trunk-Twining

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Miranda is in estrus and is avoiding medium sized males. She sees Pascal in musth who is moving toward her group. She moves toward him and as he arrives she Rump-Presents to him. He is not interested in her but she Solicits-Guarding from him, Waiting for him as he threatens other males and then following him (Walk-Toward) as he walks on. The behavior illustrated in this video Solicit-Guarding: An estrous female following a particular male or, when pursued by smaller males, rapidly moving to stand next to the largest (usually musth) male. A female actively attempting to maintain proximity to a particular male. Elephant ID: @amboseli_trust This footage was record for The Elephant Ethogram in 2020. To learn more about elephant behavior visit The Elephant Ethogram via the link in our bio. #theelephantethogram #elephantvoices #conservation #elephants

Trumpets & rumbles to @elephantvoices' co-founder and CEO, Petter Granli, on his 70th birthday. Petter, your dedication to our elephant cause is unwavering and we are so grateful every day for your leadership and support.

Families of elephants are at KH4 water hole and many are playing. Calves Spar. A juvenile female aapproaches us Head-Waggling and gives a Nasal-Trumpet. She stops to consider us. Then she Head-Waggles away to join other young elephants and gives two Pulsated-Trumpet followed by another Nasal-Trumpet. The behavior illustrated in this video is Pulsated-Trumpet: Longish trumpeting (~1-2 seconds in duration) that is expelled in a sequence of breathy pulses that are modulated in frequency contour. These trumpets are emitted as the elephant moves at a fast gait during highly spirited or exuberant play and is associated with Floppy-Running behavior. To learn more about elephant behavior visit The Elephant Ethogram via the link in the bio. #theelephantethogram #elephantvoices #conservation #elephants

During the years we studied the @gorongosapark elephant population we identified 24 families living in two clans that we named the Urema and Pungue Clans. In addition, there were some 160 independent adult males. Our data showed some Gorongosa families to be very cohesive, while others were much less so, joining and splitting along irregular lines. 🐘 Learn more about our Gorongosa Elephant Project via our website. #elephantvoices #conservation #elephants #Gorongosa

The fate of Jambo, Lucky, LouLou, Missy, and Kimba hangs in the balance. Today, in a historic case, the Colorado Supreme Court will decide their future. Will they be to left to sway and bob to cope with the chronic stress and trauma caused by their confinement in the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo? Or will Colorado’s highest court acknowledge how unjust it is to force elephants to live this way and recognize their right to liberty? (This footage is of Jambo engaging in behavior indicative of boredom, chronic stress and trauma). This case is the first of its kind in the state and the region. Help the @nonhuman.rights.project #FreeTheCMZElephants and learn about their historic October 24th hearing at nonhumanrights.org/colorado

Together with 80 animal protection organizations and elephant experts worldwide, we stand united with conservation experts from Southern Africa in their call to #StopWildlifeCulls in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Find out more via the link in our bio.

The sounds produced by elephants are rich and variable. There are over 10,000 records of elephant calls housed in our Elephant Calls Database, which includes field notes, call type, context and caller, wav files and spectrograms and more. We are collaborating with other scientists using Machine Learning to better decipher the nuances of meaning in elephant communication. Put on your earphones for the experience! This is an example of part of an elephant “Mating Pandemonium”. It was recorded in 1986 by Joyce Poole (whose voice you can hear) along the Enkongu Narok Swamp in Amboseli National Park, Kenya. These sounds follow a mating between m0057, Harmon, and Shirley. The primary callers are Shirley and Susan. The repeated rolling Rumble are made by Shirley. The repeated background sounds are the Shirley and Susan flapping their ears. Notice the Trumpet and the Rumble-Roar-Rumble, too. These are exciting times to study elephant communication. Elephant ID: @amboseli_trust #ElephantVoices #ElephantCommunication #ElephantConservation #AmboseliElephants

On October 24th, Colorado’s highest court will hear a milestone case about society’s respect for animals and will have the opportunity to extend justice to five elephants suffering in the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Jambo, Kimba, LouLou, Lucky, and Missy were taken from their families as babies and have been living in captivity for decades. As an elephant communication and behavior expert@elephantvoices Dr. Joyce Poole is an expert witness on this case. We believe that the law needs to recognize what science has long been telling us about who elephants are and how they suffer in zoos. This means recognizing elephants’ right to liberty. Help the @nonhuman.rights.project #FreeTheCMZElephants and learn about their historic October 24th hearing at nonhumanrights.org/colorado

Sparring may be initiated by a bout of Trunk-Twining, a gentle contact form of play where two elephants twist their trunks together in a spiral (Lee 1987). It may be interrupted by a pause in which one individual runs after another with the head, ears, and tail raised.