Sniff-Ground

Placing the tip of the trunk over or on the ground and sniffing; presumably often for the purpose of assessing physical or sexual condition or individual identity in urine soaked soil. All age/sex groups Sniff-Ground, although males engage in this behavior more frequently than do females.

References: Poole & Moss 1989; Poole & Granli 2011 [Test-Urine]. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Advertisement & Attraction, Attentive

Sniff-Ground

Context: Attentive (1)

Members of Grumpy Grandma's family are very interested in something on the ground. V-Notch, Lorato and two adolescent males Sniff-Ground. One of the young males raises his trunk to his mouth and performs Flehmen. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Sniff-Ground

Context: Attentive (2)

A young male appears very interested in something on the ground. He sniffs and appears to do a Place. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Sniff-Ground

Context: Attentive (3)

Medium male walks along and pauses to Sniff-Ground. Notice the blow out he does. Then he engages in a long bout of Flehmen before sniffing again. He is clearly following something of interest and does a number of Trunk-Flick-Downs.Medium male walks along and pauses to Sniff-Ground. Notice the blow out he does. Then he engages in a long bout of Flehmen before sniffing again. He is clearly following something of interest and does a number of Trunk-Flick-Downs. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Sniff-Ground

Context: Attentive (4)

Amparo is at the end of estrus and has recently Mated with a medium sized male. She walks about Sniffing-Toward something and thenfinds what she is interested in and Sniffs-Ground. I say that perhaps it was where she Mated. (Amboseli, Kenya)