Bush-Bashing

Tossing the head and tusks back and forth through bushes or other vegetation creating noise and visual commotion. In an Escalated-Contest, between musth males, and in an Attacking & Mobbing context Bush-Bashing is likely a demonstration of strength; an expression of “look what I can do with you!" In a Social Play context elephants may run back and forth through bushes or long grass beating up and lifting up vegetation creating a ruskus that appears to be contagious.

References: Poole 1987c; Moss 1988; Poole 1996: 148, 171; Poole & Granli 2004; Poole & Granli 2003; Poole & Granli 2011. (Full reference list)

This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Aggressive, Attacking & Mobbing, Social Play

Bush-Bashing

Context: Social Play (1)

Two one year old calves play together chasing one another at a Floppy-Run crashing in and out of the Croton bushes (Bush-Bashing) and Standing-Tall and making Pulsated-Play-Trumpets. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Bush-Bashing

Context: Social Play (2)

An adolescent female is standing resting over a clump of Croton (Stand-Over-Bush). She seems to act as if her style is being cramped by the presence of a dead tree and so knocks it down (Bush-Bashing) and then proceeds to climb back on top of her bush. But apparently that wasn't enough and she goes back and knocks it down completely - even kicking it with both hind and front legs! She then continues on her way. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Bush-Bashing

Context: Social Play (3)

After playing in the water hole elephants are very riled up. We comment that elephants are 'beating up bushes' and catch a short section of an adult female playing with a few calves. She lowers down and snags some bushes with her tusks and runs off with her playmates. We can see the rest of the family Waiting in the background. (Amboseli, Kenya)