Placing the tip of the trunk over or on a dung pile and sniffing it; presumably for the purpose of assessing physical or sexual condition or individual identity. All age/sex groups Sniff-Dung, although males engage in this behavior more frequently than do females.
An 18 month old male calf approaches a pile of dung and begins to Sniff-Dung and the ground around it - Sniff-Ground - which likely includes urine soaked soil. The male has an Erection. He is very alert and displays Eye-Blinking and Ears-Stiff. He moves through the pile continuing to sniff and then becomes aware of the vocalizations of other elephants. He raises his trunk in a Periscope-Trunk posture and appears to sniff the air. Then he Touches-Self and goes back to Sniff-Dung. He and we become aware of another elephant approaching. It appears to be his mother who also Sniff-Dung as she walks toward to viewer. The calf turns and walks with her. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)
