Walk-Wait

Alternatively Walking a few steps and then standing idly while Waiting for other elephants to either catch up or to initiate movement; contextually this posture is obvious as the Waiting individual is attentive (J-Trunk, Eye-Blinking, Ears-Stiff), often glancing back over her shoulder (Look-Back), and/or checking the others' activity by sniffing, Listening and Looking, and indicating her impatience by taking a few desultory steps and pausing again - Walk-Wait.

This behavior occurs in a number of different contexts. In a Calf Reassurance & Protection context, mothers and allomothers are often seen Walk-Waiting for infants and calves; in a Courtship context, Consorting musth male and estrous female are observed to Walk-Wait for one another in order to maintain close proximity, to prevent other males from Mating. In a Movement Space & Leadership context, elephants of all age/sex groups Walk-Wait for one another to keep the family or group together.

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

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Birth, Calf Reassurance & Protection, Courtship, Movement, Space & Leadership

Walk-Wait

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (1)

Little E is 3 days old. Notice how his mother Walks a little bit and then Waits Looking-Back and then Walks again - in what we call Walk-Wait. She also seems to use a Trunk-Sweep movement as if to attract his attention. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)