Pushing

Pushing the head or base of trunk into the back, side, head or trunk of another to move it away or along or to assist it. Pushing comes in different forms and may be rough in aggressive contexts or very gentle in a situation where an elephant is attempting to help, herd or shepherd a family member.

All age/sex groups may be observed to Push in an Aggressive context; while adult, adolescent and juvenile females may Push in a Calf Reassurance & Protection context; and adult females in a Movement Space & Leadership context. Social Play context Pushing is most likely to involve males of all ages.

References: Lee 1986; Moss 1988; Langbauer 2000; Poole & Granli 2003; Poole & Granli 2004; Poole & Granli 2011; O’Connell-Rodwell et al 2011 [including Herding-Push]. (Full reference list)

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

Pushing

Context: Aggressive (1)

The context: The V family is waiting for matriarch Valda (adult female on left) to move; they want to go South East. Valda continues her vigilance. The others are becoming frustrated. Vanessa’s little baby is with a bunch of allomothers who are looking after it. There seems to be an altercation and a daughter of Vigilante Pushes another hard. Vigilante steps forward immediately to intervene (Adult-Intervention), while Vanessa, her infant and the other allomothers move forward to join Valda. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Pushing

Context: Aggressive (2)

A 1 year old female has moved closer to Pat Derby's 1 year old male and begins feeding on a bush right next to where he is feeding. He pauses in his attempt to dislodge a sapling and pushes her away. Afterwards she reaches her trunk to his mouth, Trunk-to-Mouth, as if in a conciliatory gesture. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Pushing

Context: Aggressive (3)

A one year old female walks into view. She is followed by a one year old male who Pushes her, causing her back leg to buckle. She stands back up and Tail-Swats him. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Pushing

Context: Aggressive (4)

Selengei's family is standing in the shade of a tree resting. Some pushing starts. A bull (splayed tusked guy) pushes from the back and forces a juvenile male forward who then Pushes a calf out of the way. As he moves forward we can see he is being Tusked by the older male behind. He shakes his head in annoyance. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Pushing

Context: Aggressive (5)

Selengei's family is resting in the shade of a tree. The family starts making intention movements as if they are going to depart. An adolescent female, allomother, appears concerned about the calf asleep on the ground and touches him as if to wake him. He struggles to his feed and emits a husky-cry. He appears annoyed at being disturbed and pushes his allomother aggressively. She touches him with her trunk (Trunk-to-Face) and then appears to collect himself and touches her more gently, both of these touches appear to be Conciliatory gestures. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Pushing

Context: Aggressive (6)

A younger male calf (aged 3) was feeding on tree roots when an older male calf (aged 5) came and displaced him by gently Pushing the younger calf back. The younger calf, however, did not back off and continued to try to feed. The older calf Pushed again, a little more forcefully. Still the younger one continued to try to feed until the older calf Pushed him back hard and gave a sustained Look-At associated with aggressive Ear-Spreading. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Pushing

Context: Aggressive (7)

There was tension around an estrous female and two males began an Escalated-Contest which lasted close to 4 hours. During this period they engaged in 3 bouts of Dueling. After two of these both males engaged in Check-Tusk. This clip is the last Dueling bout.

As the clip begins they Advance-Toward one another Ear-Spreading and Ear-Folding. They reach toward one another in reciprocal Trunk-to-Mouth. The broken-tusked male Backs-Away and the male with the longer tusks presses forward in a Circus-Pose. He Pushes the broken-tusked male back as they clash and we hear Tusks-Clank. The broken-tusked male then Pushes back. They separate. The broken-tusked male Backs-Away and they both Check-Tusks, longer tusked male Check-Tusks x 2 and then Advances-Toward his competitor who continues to Back-Away. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Pushing

Context: Aggressive (8)

Noyeau has a newborn infant and several allomothers have been helping her to look after it. One of them, an 18 month old female, is also Suckling from Noyeau, though Noyeau is not her mother. This little female is trying to get to Noyeau's breast and the older allomother appears to try to stop her, Pushing her away. The littler female gets cross and Pushes her hard back. Then she tries to make her way to Noyeau's other breast, but is blocked by a 6 year old male who prevents her from getting through. She Pushes and Pushes but failed. Then she sees Nabila walk by and follows her and instead Solicits-Suckling from her and eventually manages to stop her and Suckles. We think that Nabila is her mother though the records do not show Nabila as having a calf of her age. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Pushing

Context: Aggressive (9)

The AA family is in Ol Tukai Orok. Angelina is with her infant twins when a 3 year old male (most likely Astrid's 2017, although his tusks seem long to be him) arrives Ear-Folding and begins Pushing, Kicking-Back, Head-Swiping and Tusking the twins. He even backs into and Leans on one pressing it into and under Angelina. We hear the infants give 2 Husky-Cries. Angelina is surprisingly gentle with him - she give him a Forward-Trunk-Swing and he stops. The allomothers look quite alarmed. (Amboseli, Kenya)