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Each photograph in the slideshow below has a caption with the name of the Behavior or Constellation it illustrates. A click on the photograph will take you to a description of the Behavior or Constellation documented with video and/or audio examples. The slideshow contains around 130 selected Behaviors and Constellations of the over 425 described in The Elephant Ethogram.
Powerful, noisy, highly modulated rumbles (3-4 seconds in duration) may be heard when elephants are confronting a dangerous predator. These calls have the effect of both intimidating the predator and, simultaneously, calling in support from family members not in the immediate vicinity. We refer to the powerful rolling rumbles given in this context as Roaring-Rumbles because of the roaring quality. Bunching together, with older individuals at the fore and calves occupying the center, the adults may continue to give Roaring-Rumbles, Roars or Trumpet-Blasts. One or more individuals may Advance-Toward or Charge the predator while emitting a Trumpet-Blast. Throughout a confrontation with a dangerous predator the bunched elephants may continue to vocalize while Head-Raising, Ear-Spreading, streaming with Temporin, and trunks reaching out toward one another - Reach-Touch. Softer Rumbling by bunched elephants, alternatively, appear to be involved in decision-making and may be followed by a hasty retreat.
This behavior occurs in the following context(s): Coalition Building, Conflict & Confrontation
A shorter sequence of calls edited from F1200310 in the following context: Lion stalks Amy's 2003 calf who looks unwell; Mother Amy is facing into the palms about 5 m beyond her infant; A second adult female, Alison, is also within 5 m around a palm. The lion pounces on the calf who Roars; The females respond with 9 minutes of Roaring-Rumbles, Rumbles and Trumpet-Blasts and Alarmed-Trumpets which keeps the lion at bay and calls in more distant family members as reinforcements. This clip contains the calf Roar, three Roaring-Rumbles, A trumpet-Blast an Alarmed-Trumpet and more distant or softer callers. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
Young female charges Joyce's vehicle while Trumpeting and Rumbling; her behavior causes her family to bunch together and emit these Rumbles while facing toward the vehicle. Note that this are not classically Roaring-Rumbles and need more study. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
The EB family threatens hyenas with a Roaring-Rumble and general commotion with powerful Rumbles, Trumpets, Roars and other strange sounds as the hyenas run through the group. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
An individual Rumble from F1200310 in the following context: Lion stalks Amy's 2003 calf who looks unwell; Mother Amy is facing into the palms about 5 m beyond her infant; A second adult female, Alison, is also within 5 m around a palm. The lion pounces on the calf who Roars; The females respond with 9 minutes of Roaring-Rumbles and Rumbles which keeps the lion at bay and calls in more distant family members as reinforcements. This Roaring-Rumble is followed by a more distant caller which is cut off. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
An individual Rumble from F1200310 in the following context: Lion stalks Amy's 2003 calf who looks unwell; Mother Amy is facing into the palms about 5 m beyond her infant; A second adult female, Alison, is also within 5 m around a palm. The lion pounces on the calf who Roars; The females respond with 9 minutes of Rumbling which keeps the lion at bay and calls in more distant family members as reinforcements. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
An individual Rumble from F1200310 in the following context: Lion stalks Amy's 2003 calf who looks unwell; Mother Amy is facing into the palms about 5 m beyond her infant; A second adult female, Alison, is also within 5 m around a palm. The lion pounces on the calf who Roars; The females respond with 9 minutes of Rumbling which keeps the lion at bay and calls in more distant family members as reinforcements. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
An individual Rumble from F1200310 in the following context: Lion stalks Amy's 2003 calf who looks unwell; Mother Amy is facing into the palms about 5 m beyond her infant; A second adult female, Alison, is also within 5 m around a palm. The lion pounces on the calf who Roars; The females respond with 9 minutes of Rumbling which keeps the lion at bay and calls in more distant family members as reinforcements. This Roaring-Rumble overlaps with a more distant or softer caller. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
An individual Rumble from F1200310 in the following context: Lion stalks Amy's 2003 calf who looks unwell; Mother Amy is facing into the palms about 5 m beyond her infant; A second adult female, Alison, is also within 5 m around a palm. The lion pounces on the calf who Roars; The females respond with 9 minutes of Rumbling which keeps the lion at bay and calls in more distant family members as reinforcements. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
An individual Rumble from F1200310 in the following context: Lion stalks Amy's 2003 calf who looks unwell; Mother Amy is facing into the palms about 5 m beyond her infant; A second adult female, Alison, is also within 5 m around a palm. The lion pounces on the calf who Roars; The females respond with 9 minutes of Rumbling which keeps the lion at bay and calls in more distant family members as reinforcements. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
A sequence of calls in the following context: Lion stalks Amy's 2003 calf who looks unwell; Mother Amy is facing into the palms about 5 m beyond her infant; A second adult female, Alison, is also within 5 m around a palm. The lion pounces on the calf who Roars; The females respond with 9 minutes of Rumbling which keeps the lion at bay and calls in more distant family members as reinforcements. Note more distant calls of approaching family members. In this shorter section of the recording we hear the calf Roar followed by 6 Roaring-Rumbles, an Alarmed-trumpet, a trumpet-Blast and other more distant or less powerful Rumbles. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
Elephants give a Rumble-Roar-Rumble and a Roaring-Rumble in response to playbacks of lions Roaring. Unfortunately this was recorded by a third party who used a recorder with low-frequency cutoff so only the upper harmonics of the Rumbles are heard. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
A family group gives Roaring-Rumbles in response to playbacks of lions Roaring. Unfortunately this was recorded by a third party who used a recorder with low-frequency cutoff so only the upper harmonics of the Rumbles are heard. (Amboseli, Kenya)
If you want to look at a spectrogram of this recording, .
