An elephant, typically male, and usually with an erection, reaching his trunk over or along the back of another elephant. Observed in Courtship and Social Play as a prelude to Mounting. Females have been observed to Reach-Over other females as a display of dominance during the attempted kidnapping of an infant, and during a Greeting to a family member with a newborn.
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Two calves, a one year old male and a 6 month old female, belonging to the C family are playing together. The male repeatedly Reach-Over the little female attempting to Mount her. Each time an allomother intervenes as if to keep the play from becoming too rough. See Allomother-Intervention for more detail. (Gorongosa, Mozambique)
