Waiting

Standing idly, lingering, loitering until other elephants either catch up or are alerted to the signallers attempt to initiate movement; contextually this posture is obvious as the Waiting individual is attentive (engaging in behaviors such as J-Trunk, Eye-Blinking, Ears-Stiff), often glancing back over her shoulder (Look-Back), and/or checking the others' activity by sniffing, listening and looking, and indicating her impatience by taking a few desultory steps and pausing again - Walk-Wait. This behaviour occurs in a number of different contexts.

In a Calf Reassurance & Protection context, mothers and allomothers are often seen Waiting for infants and calves; in a Courtship context, Consorting musth male and estrous female are observed to Wait for one another in order to maintain a certain proximity, to prevent other males from Mating. In a Movement Space & Leadership context, elephants of all age/sex groups Wait for one another to keep the family or group together.

References: Moss 1988; Poole & Granli 2003; Poole & Granli 2011. (Full reference list)

This behavioral constellation includes the following behaviors: Displacement-Feeding, Displacement-Grooming, Ears-Stiff, Eye-Blinking, Foot-Lifting, Foot-Swinging, J-Trunk, Look-Back, Walk-Wait and occurs in the following context(s): Ambivalent, Attentive, Birth, Calf Reassurance & Protection, Courtship, Movement, Space & Leadership

Waiting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (1)

Little E is 3 days old and is in a patch of forest on the bank of a lugga. Mama Little E has been Waiting for him at the end of this riverine forest. She stands attentively, Ears-Stiff, Listening, Waiting, occasionally reaching her Trunk-Toward her infant behind her. Then she Backs-Toward him to retrieve him. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (2)

A newborn is in a mud wallow and is experiencing water for the first time. The infant has spent 10 minutes or so blowing bubbles. The infant's mother was in the mud wallow with him for a while, but as the clip starts she is Waiting on the bank for the infant to finish - we see her shadow on the right.

She walks into frame in a Walk-Wait and we see the infant raise his head. She reaches Trunk-to-Genitals to touch him and to get his attention and emits a barely audible Coo-Rumble. She engages in Foot-Swinging and Foot-Lifting and stands attentively, with J-Trunk and Ears-Stiff. Her infant climbs out of the wallow and when he is by her side, she begins to walk. They walk away together. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (3)

Little E is 3 days old and Mama Little E (front) and allomother Lorato (rear) are Shepherding him along. Note how Mama Little E pauses to Look-Back, Waiting for him to reach her side. She seems to uses a Trunk-Sweep motion and the initiation of walking again Guiding him forward. As he slows Lorato gently Pushes him along. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (4)

Little E is 3 days old and is with his mother, Mama Little E (closest to the camera), and two allomothers, Lorato (back) and V-Notch (front). Little E cannot walk very fast. Notice how conscious they seem to be of his abilities - Waiting for him, walking very slowing and Shepherding him down the slope. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (5)

A young mother and her infant are crossing a rocky stream. The mother is leading and pauses to Wait for the infant who is having trouble negotiating the rocks. She stands Foot-Lifting and Waiting and Looking-Back, while swinging her trunk. When she realises he isn't coming she Head-Shakes and turns around to Help him Shepherding him over the rocks. As she walks she Look-Back to see that he is following her and pauses for him to catch up in a Walk-Wait. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Calf Reassurance & Protection (6)

Little E is 10 days old and is trying to follow his mother and 2 allomothers Lorato and V-Notch up a steep bank from a lugga where they have been drinking and feeding. He has difficulty getting up. V-Notch goes up first and Waits at the top rather agitated - swinging her head back and forth (Look-Back) to see whether he is coming. Mama and Lorato Stand Waiting for him Looking-Back part way up the steep-sided bank. Lorato turns around to help him and Shepherds him up. Little E does well but then begins to slide down again. Finally he makes it all the way up. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (1)

The clip is of the C family. Adult female gf0080 stands apparently Waiting with her calves. Behind her another tuskless female, who looks to be Cecilie, can be seen to be coming and walks past. gf0080 continues to stand, Waiting. Only when tuskless female gf0004 appears in frame do gf0080 and her calves begin to walk. It appears that they were waiting for her and are likely closely bonded - perhaps mother-daughter.

As the camera pans out we see that they are all walking to join adult tuskless female, Nomada, gf0003 who is revealed on the left. As they coalesce around Nomada, she gives an Ear-Flap-Slide which is immediately followed by one given by gf0080 as she walks past her. The elephants continue moving while feeding as they move away. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (2)

Members of the V family are Waiting to depart, but their matriarch, Valda (marked with an M), is not. They have been standing Body-Axis-Pointing southeast, while she has been facing northwest. All are listening and I can see there is Rumbling because ears are flapping. 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 and Wait and Wait - alert. Valda has turned Body-Axis-Pointing 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 has turned 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. Decision-making elephant style. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (3)

In Amboseli a young female Initiates-Movement but when her family doesn't follow she stops to Wait for them. She stands Body-Axis-Pointing in the direction she wants to go with her Ears-Stiff. Once they finally they proceed together. Notice the increase in Temporin on the side of her face after this initiation and period of Waiting. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (4)

A young adult female and her calf have been mud splashing and the calf is now resting lying down. There is an adolescent female out of view who we can hear is still mud splashing. The female in view gives an Ear-Slap, adopts a Casual-Stance and gives a Let's-Go-Rumble associated with Ear-Flapping.

Note that Let's-Go-Rumbles typically begin with and Ear-Slap and are associated with Ear-Flapping. She Waits and engages in Displacement-Dusting and gives another, softer Let's-Go-Rumble and an Ear-Slap. She continues to Wait and Dust. More attentive Waiting and then she Orient-Toward the other female in a Walk-Wait and again Waits. Finally, she faces the direction she wants to go, and takes a few steps and Waits and when her calf gets up, she begins to walk off. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (5)

It is near dusk and a subgroup of Selengei's family is standing together Waiting. This is just before the start of a Group-March initiated by Selengei. The adolescent (left) and adult female (right) are attentive with Ears-Stiff and occasionally holding their trunks in a J-Trunk posture. We can hear the sounds of Maasai and their livestock in the background as they head back to their boma.

The elephants are waiting for the Maasai to be at a safe distance and are waiting for their matriarch, Selengei to decide when to move. We hear a faint Let's Go-Rumble and the adolescent female takes a couple of steps - Walk-Wait - and then we hear two or three overlapping Let's-Go-Rumbles by the Waiting group as we can see them Ear-Flapping. The female on the right gives an Ear-Flap-Slide as she becomes aware of Selengei's approach and prepares to move. We hear the filmmaker say that Selengei is coming. The camera pans out and we see Selengei has initiated the Group-March and the entire group of 40 elephants follows her movement. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (6)

Big Mama's family stand Waiting. Most adult members are oriented east Body-Axis-Pointing. Matriarch Big Mama (marked with an M in a circle) is not ready, though she stands with a forefoot forward. Some take a few impatient steps in a Walk-Wait. Then she begins walking and all follow her lead. She takes 12 steps and stops. Others keep walking and then stop and Wait for her next move. She half turns around and Urinates. She completes her turn, gives an Ear-Flap-Slide and walks back where she came from. All turn around and follow her. A lovely example of leadership. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (7)

An adult female and her two calves Wait at the edge of a mud-wallow for another female who is still mud-splashing. She stands attentively Body-Axis-Pointing and with a J-Trunk. She gives and Ear-Flap-Slide and takes a few steps in a Walk-Wait. She stands Waiting again Body-Axis-Pointing and with a J-Trunk. She briefly engages in Trunk-Sucking. Then she departs. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (8)

Elephants have been playing in a deep pool for over an hour. Now mothers of the MB family are ready to depart. They begin to walk but then stop Waiting for their calves and other family members who are still playing in the water. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (9)

As the clip starts Angelina (in the right) stands Waiting in a Foot-Forward posture. After some time she Looks-Back to the right and then left and then she Backs-Toward the others a few steps and Looks-Back again. We hear approaching Abra Rumble and this is answered by a louder call by her daughter, Allura, who is out of sight. Abra's call is long and we still hear her Rumbling as Allura's call ends. Allura Rumbles again. We hear a couple more Rumbles by other callers and then we hear and see Angelina Rumble. Angelina Waits for Abra to catch up and then begins to Walk. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Movement Space & Leadership (10)

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)

Waiting

Context: Courtship (1)

Wissel (circled) of the WB family is in estrous and Guarded by Pascal who is in musth. Pascal stops to engage in a bout of Flehmen and Wissel Waits for him about 9 meters away to Maintain-Proximity. Two young males are near her and she keeps her eye on them and on Pascal, Looking-Back at him. She is seen Foot-Swinging early on and then she makes a couple of Intention-Movements: Walk-Wait and Ear-Flap-Slide.

A larger non-musth male arrives from the left and she Orients-Away, turning towards Pascal as she Walks-Away from him. Pascal realizes there is trouble brewing and catches up to her, seeing off the larger of the younger males with a Head-High, Chin-In musth posture. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Ambivalent (1)

Tee-Jay and Gordon, both in musth, have been engaged in an Escalated-Contest. But when Paolo, also in musth, appears they turn to look at him in anticipation. When Paolo is about 50 m away both males turn to face him, Waiting for him with some visible apprehension. Gordon is Foot-Lifting and holds his trunk under. Paolo walks toward them with Head-High, Chin-In in a very dominant posture while Tee-Jay's bravado has changed and he Waits for Paolo with Trunk-Toward and his chin further out than earlier. Paolo continues to Advance-Toward them and at about 3 m Tee-Jay Backs-Away. Both males Retreat-From Paolo. Paolo's arrival breaks up the fight, whether purposefully or not. (Amboseli, Kenya)

Waiting

Context: Attentive (1)

A medium sized male has been mud splashing. He becomes aware of an approaching aggregation and exits the mud wallow and stands Waiting. When the first family arrives he Orients-Toward them and then faces the large adult males who are following behind. There is an estrous female and musth males and he is assessing the situation. (Amboseli, Kenya)