Body-Axis-Pointing

Using the axis of the body to point in the direction an elephant wishes to travel. To be considered Body-Axis-Pointing this posture must be associated with other behaviors such as Intention-Movements (e.g. Foot-Swinging, Foot-Lifting, Waiting, Walk-Wait, Ear-Flap-Slide) or Let’s-Go-Rumbling. Body-Axis-Pointing is most often observed among adult and adolescent females. While males also engage in Body-Axis-Pointing it is less demonstrative than among females.

References: Poole 2011. (Full reference list)

This behavioral constellation includes the following behaviors: Ear-Flap-Slide, Foot-Lifting, Foot-Swinging, Lets-Go-Rumble, Waiting, Walk-Wait and occurs in the following context(s): Movement, Space & Leadership

Body-Axis-Pointing

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (1)

Members of the V family are Waiting to depart, but their matriarch (marked with an M), Valda, is undecided. The rest of the family have been standing Body-Axis-Pointing southeast, while she has been facing northwest. All are Listening and we can see there is Rumbling because ears are flapping. Then Valda turns Body-Axis-Pointing southeast, but still does not move. She pauses and they Wait again, alert. Valda is Listening again.

The others are getting frustrated. They stand, figiting and Wait and Wait - alert. Valda turns Body-Axis-Points northwest again. Then Vigilante begins to walk NW and the others follow her. She walks until she is parallel with Valda and stops. They Wait. And Wait and Wait. The camera zooms in so we can't see Valda.

Finally one of the younger one turns and all turn. The camera zooms out and Valda is Body-Axis-Pointing SE with the others and I think she initiated this turn. But again Valda stops and waits. There is some Walk-Wait movement by the others until finally Valda moves and all begin walking SE. All are moving in direction of the river, pausing now and then to grab a mouthful of grass. This is Decision-Making elephant style - voting with your body and feet. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Body-Axis-Pointing

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (2)

A classic example of Let's-Go-Rumble. A family group is resting in the middle of the day. One young female wants to go to the swamp. She moves to the edge of the group and engages in Body-Axis-Pointing. She stands facing in the direction she wants to go and then takes a few steps (Walk-Wait) so that she is standing separate from the rest of the group, clearly pointing in the direction she wants to go. Then she begins walking and gives 2 Let’s Go-Rumbles (notice her Ear-Flapping and Ear-Folding).

Notice, after both calls, how she Looks-Back as if to see whether the rest of the group is following her. They don’t and she continues toward the swamp still calling. The clip includes two more calls, and she Looks-Back after the third and then stops to Wait after the fourth. There are more calls but then we are focused on the family. Eight minutes later they eventually follow her lead and they all head to the swamp to feed. Note that we are too far away to hear the Let's-Go calls clearly. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Body-Axis-Pointing

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (3)

This behavior occurred over a period of 15 minutes and we have compressed it into a 3 minute clip. The GB family has been feeding in the swamp. But when we arrive two adult females and their calves (a group of 5) have already left the swamp and are standing Waiting and Body-Axis-Pointing west toward Ol-Tukai Orok. Two minutes later another female and her calves (4 individuals) begin Body-Axis-Pointing at the edge of the water, facing in the same direction. Five minutes in they have joined the first group - pointing west.

A few of the younger individuals are not oriented in any particular direction, but 10 minutes in some of them begin to orient in the opposite direction and 11 minutes in the have begun moving back toward the main body of the group. The original two adult female continue pointing west. Finally 13 minutes in one of these females also turns. The last female, realizing she has lost her bid to go to Ol-Tukai Orok Head-Shakes in presumed annoyance and turns to follow them. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Body-Axis-Pointing

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (3)

This behavior occurred over perhaps 10 minutes or so. We have shortened the clips. Matriarch Holly has been Body-Axis-Pointing and Waiting for quite a while. As this clip begins she gives a short Lets-Go-Rumble and continues to Body-Axis-Point and Wait. Then as her family comes closer she Looks-Back. The camera pans out and we see her apparently Foot-Swinging although this may be Displacement-Dusting. As they come with her she begins to Walk only to stop and Wait again again when the other female stops to Suckle a calf. They begin to approach her again and she walks on leading her family. (Amboseli, Kenya)