An elephant resting his or her head on another. Rest-Head often occurs during play when one elephant rests his or her head on the back or flank of another. It is also often observed in a resting group when one elephant rests his or her head on a nearby elephant. In Courtship a male may Rest-Head on an estrous female as a prelude to Mounting. On rarer occasions a female may Rest-Head on another female in a display of dominance. On several occasions we have observed this behavior in the presence of a newborn infant, sometimes during an attempted kidnapping, when a dominant female places her head on the back of a younger mother.
A young mother Rests-Head on a calf. (Amboseli, Kenya)
