Dig-Water

An individual swinging a forefoot foreward and backward or from side to side to dig a well to access water beneath the surface of sandy riverbeds. They may also employ the trunk to help remove sand from the well.

References: Payne 1998, Ramey et al 2013. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Foraging & Comfort Technique

Dig-Water

Context: Calf Foraging & Comfort Technique (1)

In video shot by Sven Zetterlund we see a family in a river bed Drinking. On the left an adult female begins digging for water first with her left forefoot, then the right and then the left again. She uses using a broad swinging motion. At the end it looks as though she is satisfied with the depth and appears to start Drinking. In later views we see at least two different females Drink from the well that she dug. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)