Urinating

The term Urinating refers to normal elimination as well as social or sexual responses. Normal elimination may stimulate others to Urinate. For instance when a group wakes up from Resting, most individuals may Urinate and Defecate.

In an Advertisement & Attraction or Courtship context, such as during Trunk-to-Genitals, Female-Chorus or Mating-Pandemonium, female adults, adolescents and juveniles will typically Urinate when a male, particularly one in musth, uses his trunk to touch or sniff her genitals, in response to the arrival of a musth male in the group, or during or following a Mating.

Extreme social arousal such as during High-Fiving, Greetings, or a variety of other Bonding-Ceremonies also stimulates female adults, adolescents and juveniles to Urinate. During these sexual and social contexts Urinating is typically associated with vocalising, and several females may Urinate simultaneously.

References: Poole 1982: 37; Moss 1988; Poole et al 1988; Poole 1996: 275; Poole & Granli 2003. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Advertisement & Attraction, Affiliative, Birth, Coalition Building, Maintenance

Urinating

Context: Advertisement & Attraction (1)

This footage shows the Mabenzi family with musth male Gogogo. Gogogo is testing Trunk-to-Genitals an adolescent female who is standing next to Valente, gf0013. The adolescent female emits a loud throaty rumble and others join in in a Female-Chorus. Some elephants reach Trunk-to-Mouth to her and Marcela, g0079, moves up to her (they look alike and we believe gf0079 is her mother). There is continued calling, and gf0079 Urinates and then steps forward. Gogogo turns back a bit and is very interested in a scent on the ground. He spends a long time to Sniff-Ground while others walk past. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)