Splash-with-Trunk

An elephant using its trunk to purposefully slap at the surface of a body of water creating dramatic splash for visual and acoustic effect.

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

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Social Play

Splash-with-Trunk

Context: Social Play (1)

A group of elephants playing in a pool. Two engage in purposefully slapping the water with their trunks for visual and acoustic effect. Other elephants watch as the show goes on. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Splash-with-Trunk

Context: Social Play (2)

A group of males are playing in a pool. One purposefully slaps the water with his trunk for visual and acoustic effect. Other elephants watch as he displays. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Splash-with-Trunk

Context: Social Play (3)

Families of elephants are leaving a pool where they have been Swimming and playing for a long while. A juvenile female in the foreground uses her trunk to splash water on herself, Head-Shakes and then makes a purposefully loud and visibly demonstrative Splash-with-Trunk. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Splash-with-Trunk

Context: Social Play (4)

A male is acting like the bully at the swimming pool exuberantly Charging back and forth Trumpeting and Splashing others. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Splash-with-Trunk

Context: Social Play (5)

Several males and a family group are in a deep water hole engaged in vigorous Splash-with-Trunk and Play-Trumpeting. One male is acting like the bully at the swimming pool exuberantly Charging back and forth Trumpeting and Splashing others. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Splash-with-Trunk

Context: Social Play (6)

Elephants are Bathing in a water hole. Two calves face one another in play. The one on the right one Splashes-with-Trunk at the one on the left, who adopts an anticipatory Periscope-Trunk and Circus-Pose. An elephant comes up behind the calf on the left and prods it with a tusk, spoiling their game. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Splash-with-Trunk

Context: Social Play (7)

Elephants are very excited after spending time playing and Bathing in a deep pool. As they depart there is a lot of Play-Trumpeting in the background and a juvenile male in the foreground Splashes-with-Trunk. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Splash-with-Trunk

Context: Social Play (8)

Elephants are very excited after spending time playing and Bathing in a deep pool. As they begin to depart an adult female Pirouettes as she Splashes-with-Trunk. Before she Clambers out she Tusks-Ground and Splashes-with-Foot. (Amboseli, Kenya)