Doctoral Research - male African elephant social dynamics
Connie Allen Wild’s PhD research dove deep into the intricate world of male African elephants. She explored the social dynamics in the male-dominated area of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana. Through focal animal sampling and camera trap surveys, the study revealed notable differences in behavior across ages of male elephants. The research won the MDPI Animals Thesis of the year award for 2022.
Younger elephants, particularly adolescents, tended to be more social, and more likely to travel in all-male groups, emphasizing safety benefits of association during travel. Greeting behaviors were also more frequent among adolescents, possibly facilitating positive interactions between age-mates. Interestingly, these younger males displayed more aggressive and fear-related behaviors when alone, and when in the company of fewer older males, suggesting a perceived vulnerability that is mitigated when in the company of others, particularly older males. This hints at the idea that older males may ease anxiety of their group mates owing to their superior abilities in assessing environmental risks.The research also revealed more social roles for older males in male elephant society - these older males are more likely to take on leadership positions, guiding the movements of their groups. This suggests a structure where experienced individuals play a crucial role in directing younger and less experienced males to critical resources.
The study also touched on olfactory communication, noting how male elephants monitor each other on elephant pathways in the vast landscape.
Beyond the fascinating insights into elephant sociality, the thesis discussed the implications for the conservation of African elephants, a species facing several human-wildlife conflicts. The research not only contributes to our understanding of elephant behavior but also provides valuable considerations for the management and conservation of these iconic creatures.
Example news coverage to learn more:
“Secrets of male elephant society revealed in the Wild” - BBC
“For African Elephants, Pee Could Be a Potent Trail Marker” - Scientific American
“Old Male Elephants: Don’t Count Them Out” - New York Times
“Young male elephants rein in aggression if older males are nearby” - New Scientist
Publication list:
Allen, C. R., Brent, L. J., Motsentwa, T., Weiss, M. N., & Croft, D. P. (2020). Importance of old bulls: leaders and followers in collective movements of all-male groups in African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana). Scientific reports, 10(1), 13996.
Allen, C. R., Croft, D. P., & Brent, L. J. (2021). Reduced older male presence linked to increased rates of aggression to non-conspecific targets in male elephants. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288(1965), 20211374.
Allen, C. R., Croft, D. P., Testard, C., & Brent, L. J. (2021). Function of trunk-mediated “greeting” behaviours between male African elephants: Insights from choice of partners. Animals, 11(9), 2718.
Allen, C. R., Brent, L. J., Motsentwa, T., & Croft, D. P. (2021). Field evidence supporting monitoring of chemical information on pathways by male African elephants. Animal Behaviour, 176, 193-206.
Thesis:
Allen, C. (2022). Importance of older males: influence of age structure on social dynamics between males in an elephant bull area.
The Research was funded by the Leverhulme Society, the Explorers Club, Wilderness Wildlife Trust and generous donations to a crowdfunding campaign, “Join the herd”