Reaching of the trunk to touch, or near touch the face of another. Trunk-to-Face is a common behavior and occurs between elephants of all age/sex groups in a broad range of contexts and may include Trunk-to-Temporal-Gland, Trunk-to-Ear. In a Calf Reassurance & Protection context, Trunk-to-Face is a common component of Caressing behavior displayed by mothers and allomothers toward infants and calves to bond with, reassure and protect them. Mothers also appear to use Trunk-to-Face to get the attention of infants before moving on or in an attempt to Guide them toward or away from something. During Social Play, Affiliative as well as other contexts elephants also reach the trunk to the face of other elephants, often in the area of the temporal glands and the mouth.
A group of elephants is browsing. Two adolescents are standing in parallel, facing one another and browsing from the same part of the bush - and, thus, possibly disturbing one another. The male on the right briefly stretches his trunk to touch the face of the other (Trunk-to-Face) before placing his trunk up behind his own tusks and feeling around there. Then he returns to browsing. (Maasai Mara, Kenya)
