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Cited by 8Primate Behavior and EcologyAnimal Behavior and Welfare StudiesAnimal Behavior and Reproduction

Monitoring Behaviour in African Elephants during Introduction into a New Group: Differences between Related and Unrelated Animals

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Hörner, Franziska, Oerke, Ann-Kathrin, Müller, Dennis W. H., Westerhüs, Uta, Azogu-Sepe, Idu, Hruby, Jiri, Preisfeld, Gela·2021·Animals
DOI 10.3390/ani11102990PMC PMC8532974
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Abstract

The introduction of elephants into new groups is necessary for breeding programmes. However, behavioural studies on the reactions of these animals at first encounters are missing. In the present study, female African elephants (Loxodonta africana) living in zoos were observed during unifications with unfamiliar elephants (introduction of two to one females and one to two females; n = 6) and reunifications with related elephants (two mother–daughter-pairs; n = 4) that were separated for 2 and 12 years, respectively. First encounters of the elephants were observed and recorded by scan sampling. The parameters measured were (a) signs of the characteristic Greeting Ceremony, (b) distance to the fence separating the elephants during first contact, and (c) time until trunks touched for the first time. The data were statistically analysed with SPSS. The results showed that related elephants performed a full Greeting Ceremony on reunifications. Unrelated elephants only expressed a minor greeting. During first encounters, related elephants predominantly showed affiliative behaviour (p = 0.001), whilst unrelated elephants expressed more agonistic behaviour (p = 0.001). The distance to the fence was significantly smaller for related elephants than for unrelated elephants (p = 0.038). first contact of trunks occurred on average after 3.00 s. in related elephants and 1026.25 s. in unrelated elephants. These findings indicate that related elephants recognise their kin after up to 12 years of separation, meet them with a full Greeting Ceremony during reunification, and seek contact to the related elephant, while unrelated elephants are hesitant during unifications with unfamiliar elephants and express more agonistic behaviour. The results testify that zoo elephants show the same species-specific social behaviour as their conspecifics in the wild. It also confirms the cognitive abilities of elephants and the significance of matrilines for breeding programmes.

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  • Hörner et al. (2021) showed that two mother-daughter pairs of African elephants in captivity that were reunited after 2 and 12 years apart participated in greeting ceremonies, while unrelated elephants who were introduced to each other in the same setting showed only minor greeting behaviors.

    “Hörner et al. (2021) examined this in African elephants in captivity, and showed that two mother-daughter pairs that were reunited after 2 and 12 years apart participated in greeting ceremonies, while unrelated elephants who were introduced to each other in the same setting showed only minor greeting behaviors.”

    From Do elephants really never forget? What we know about elephant memory and a call for further investigation (2025) · cites this paper as Hörner et al., 2021

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Authors
Hörner, F., Oerke, A.-K., Müller, D. W. H., Westerhüs, U., Azogu-Sepe, I., Hruby, J., & Preisfeld, G.
Affiliations
  • Fakultät für Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften, Zoologie und Didaktik der Biologie, University of Wuppertal, Gaußstraße 20, D-42119 Wuppertal, Germany
  • German Primate Center (DE)
  • Halle Zoo (DE)
  • Opel-Zoo Kronberg, Am Opel-Zoo 3, D-61476 Kronberg im Taunus, Germany
  • Serengeti-Park Hodenhagen, Am Safaripark 1, D-29693 Hodenhagen, Germany
  • ZOO Dvůr Králové, Štefánikova 1029, C-544 01 Dvůr Králové nad Labem, Czech Republic
  • University of Wuppertal (DE)
ORCID
Venue
Animals
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2021-10-18
Volume
11
Issue
10
Pages
2990
ISSN
2076-2615 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ani11102990
PMC
PMC8532974
OpenAlex
W3207079128
Cited by
8
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1
FWCI
1.71
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Animals (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • GoeScholar The Publication Server of the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
Keywords
Loxodonta africana, kin recognition, social behavior, affiliative behavior, agonistic behavior, matrilines, zoo elephants, breeding programmes

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