Hi all,
I am back for another installment of elephant sounds 101 and we are still working our way through how elephants respond to predators. Since humans are the most dangerous predator an elephant has to face, I have been on the sharp end of some of these reactions, though these frightening assaults have almost all been in places other than Amboseli. If you visit the visual tactile database on our website, and search under the word “bunching”, you can read in more detail how after freezing and perhaps “commenting”, the first response to potential danger by members of a family group is to gather together or “bunch”. Once elephants have bunched together, older individuals at the fore and calves occupying the center, one or more larger individuals may charge the predator while emitting the trumpet blasts or roars that I have already described. Throughout a confrontation with a dangerous predator the bunched elephants may continue to vocalize with noisy, throaty, rolling rumbles, their heads raised, ears extended, temporal glands streaming and trunks reaching out to touch one another. These rumbles have a roaring quality and appear to have the effect of both intimidating the predator and calling in support from any more distant family members. I refer to the powerful noisy rumbles given in this context as roaring-rumbles.
I recorded a lovely example of roaring rumbles in Amboseli one day when I happened to witness a lion pounce upon a year old elephant calf. The calf screamed, which prompted an immediate response from its mother and other allies, who rushed to the calves side, and confronted the lion with a series of roaring-rumbles. The calls attracted the attention of other family members who responded by calling and arriving at the scene minutes later.
Bunched elephants confront a predator.
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Mar 2nd Michelle P USD 30.00
4 Comments
What happened to the calf???!
The calf was fine – a bit shaken though…! Angry adult elephants are no joke, which lions know well.
Fascinating sounds and many of them are chilling to the bones to us “predators”, the cooperation’s of these family units are humbling to see and makes one think again what we human could gain from such team work and unconditional co-operations !
On a different note, the only personal experience I’ve had was a close encounter with an charging bull elephant (us in an open roof 4WD) in Meru National Park, Kenya a few years back and yes you do think your last moment has arrived, someone managed to capture this on a hand held cam recorder, this clip mostly resembled a scene from the Blair witch project when studied later that day ! Sound effects included and you could even hear the flapping ears of this large bull elephant…. All I could think off was the tusk that was coming towards us (on the same height as our seats within the viewing vehicle) and subsequently then placing themselves on our laps and tip us over (best case scenario)…..! I think in a funny way these are the moments you feel truly alive !
Joyce and Petter you must have countless such moments to re-collect !
Thanks for putting these various types of sounds and corresponding ele moments on your blog,
Hi Anna, thanks for your comment and especially your story about the Meru bull. Yes, those intense moments with elephants come back so clearly – and we do have quite a few of them! Equally special are those moments of quiet and gentle intimacy with elephants. We feel blessed for every second.