Spreading and Lifting the ears so that the ear tops are lifted above the top of the head. An elephant normally holds its ears in a relaxed position such that they rest approximately 10-30cm from the side of the body and lie such that the tops of the ears are basically in line with the top of the head. In this relaxed position the ears do not appear stiff or tense, lifted, spread, or pressed against the body. The posture can be most clearly seen when adult, adolescent and juvenile female elephants engage in Little-Greetings-Rumbles or Coo-Rumbles, as they touch infants.
Matriarch Provocadora, gf0012, comes from the back to our side of the group. She turns to face us and Maya, gf0020, reaches out Trunk-to-Mouth and gives her a Little-Greeting (we can hear the rumble), Head-Raising and Ear-Lifting. gf0012 takes a couple more steps in our direction and stops and considers us. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)
