Food-Stealing

An individual taking food from the mouth or trunk of another elephant. While infants, calves, juveniles or adolescents will attempt to steal food from their mothers, other family members, or other elephants, adult males and females will also steal scarce resources from one another - for instance, stealing branches or branchlets from one another or from a tree pushed over by a musth male.

References: Douglas-Hamilton 1972: ch 6 [Food-Sampling]. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Calf Nourishment & Weaning, Foraging & Comfort Technique

Food-Stealing

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (1)

Adult female gf0022 of the Mabenzi family steals a branch from adult male gm0045. He may not dare to challenge her theft due to the presence of musth male Gogogo nearby. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Food-Stealing

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (2)

Mature musth male, Gogogo, is feeding on the tree he felled. He is surrounded by others with whom he is sharing it. A female and a young male sneak in and steal part of his branch. He is tolerant. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Food-Stealing

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (3)

This is an example of a family cueing into the sound of a male pushing over a palm tree and trying to ascertain more information via sniffing. A young male has just pushed over a palm tree - which the Mabenzi family heard (the downed tree is on footage earlier). The felled tree is on the other side of the pan behind us and the Mabenzi family are considering how to get there without coming too close to us. After much use of Periscope-Trunk and considering Valente leads them to the right, while others start to go to the left. In the end all follow Valente, with matriarch, Provocadora bringing up the rear (followed by a young male). They have made a wide arc to avoid us. It was too late in the evening to see what took place, but it appears their intention was to partake of the spoils of another's endeavors for a second time that day. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Food-Stealing

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (4)

A 4 year old calf hurries toward a young male who has a large branch and tries to Steal-Food. Note that this is the 3rd calf who has come rapidly this way. The male turns away dragging the branch with him. The male takes a few more steps and the calf gives up, finding that the male has left some of the branchlets behind. The male uses his tail and hind foot to Kick-Back and Tail-Swat at the calf. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Food-Stealing

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (5)

A younger male Steals-Food from an older male's mouth. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Food-Stealing

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (6)

A juvenile female comes and cozies up to Valente with the purpose of stealing part of the branch from her mouth. It is hard to see, but she comes away with a bit of branch. Valente is very tolerant. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Food-Stealing

Context: Foraging & Comfort Technique (7)

Matriarch Valente walks away with a large branch to feed on. An adolescent pregnant female, probably her daughter, cozies up to her and pulls off a branchlet. Though Valente pulls away she is very tolerant. The adolescent feeds on her mouthful and then tries to grab another trunkful. Notice how, on the second attempt, she seems to Social-Rub on Valente before grabbing for more. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)