Solicit-Guarding

An estrous female following a particular male or, when pursued by smaller males, rapidly moving to stand next to the largest (usually musth) male. A female actively attempting to maintain proximity to a particular male.

References: Poole 1982: 110-113; Poole 1989b. (Full reference list)

This behavioral constellation includes the following behaviors: Foot-Lifting, Look-Back, Orient-Toward, Rump-Present, Trunk-Twisting, Waiting, Walk-Wait and occurs in the following context(s): Courtship

Solicit-Guarding

Context: Courtship (1)

Mwana Nzo is in estrus and is separated by several hundreds meters from her family. She is with two males, a musth male and a younger male. The musth male is only very loosely Guarding her - in this clip he is seen following her - Maintaining-Proximity -once - and the younger male is interested in her and gets a full erection. Mwana Nzo Solicits-Guarding from the musth male, Waiting and Walk-Waiting for him, Looking-At and Looking-Back at him and showing her impatience to move with Foot-Lifting and some Trunk-Twisting. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Solicit-Guarding

Context: Courtship (2)

Miranda is in estrus and is avoiding medium sized males. She sees Pascal in musth who is moving toward her group. She moves toward him and as he arrives she Rump-Presents to him. He is not interested in her but she Solicits-Guarding from him, Waiting for him as he threatens other males and then following him (Walk-Toward) as he walks on. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Solicit-Guarding

Context: Courtship (3)

Amparo is at the very end of estrus. Pascal no longer interested in her. A medium sized male has Mated with her within the last 30 minutes but he, too, is not very interested. A young male is still pursuing her. She is separated from her family and takes the chance to leave the medium male's side to go and look for them. The young male pursues her with a Penis-Erection and she quickly Runs-Away from him, Looking-Back to the right see where he and the larger male are. She seems to change her mind and circles back to the left to find the medium sized male and Waits for him. He comes to meet her, preventing the little male from Mating or Chasing her further. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Solicit-Guarding

Context: Courtship (4)

Nine year old Nastya is in estrus and is being Guarded by Pascal in musth. She gets separated from him and is being pursued by another large male and a young male who tries to Mount her. Pascal intervenes Advancing-Toward the males from the right, Musth-Rumbling and Urine-Dribbling at rate 9. Nastya makes an arc and circles back to Pascal. At one point she stops to Wait, clearly assessing her next move. There are many more males ahead of her. She wants to avoid them and get through the wall of males around her to get to Pascal. She moves forward and then ducks back between two young males to reach him, Soliciting-Guarding from him. (Amboseli, Kenya)