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EleFact Friday – Male Elephants Are Often Misunderstood

For EleFACT Friday today, we’re busting a myth that you may have heard before. It’s been said that male elephants are loner animals who prefer solitude and are generally anti-social, even aggressive. However, that is not necessarily accurate.

Male elephants in the wild are raised from birth in a female-dominated environment, surrounded by mothers and other matriarchal figures. Most leave their birth families as teenagers, between 9 and 18 years old – but what happens next? Male elephants then form what we call bachelor herds, where lifelong companionship between individuals is created. These male-dominated herds occur in times when mating opportunities are high or human threats are present.

Studies show that within these herds, a hierarchy is established amongst the male elephants based on an individuals’ strength and domineering behavior. It’s been said that male elephants, in the presence of a water source, can be compared to a group of men out at a bar – showing friendly behaviors like intertwining trunks and flapping ears.

Older male elephants are shown to take on a leadership role within the bachelor herd, often to the benefit of younger males who acquire learned behaviors by observing the elders.

The idea of the loner, angry male elephant is a misconception that we’re happy to say is often not their reality.

Photo shown is of Tamy

Comments(11)

  1. REPLY
    Nancy Shaw says
    April 16, 2021 at 3:14 pm

    STILL ANOTHER SAD STORY !!
    Ignorant Humans !

  2. REPLY
    Carol says
    April 16, 2021 at 3:25 pm

    So interesting!

  3. REPLY
    SHEILA says
    April 16, 2021 at 4:05 pm

    OH MY GOODNESS TAMY IS A PORKCHOP!! KINDA CHUNKY GUY!! HANDSOME?❤️ YES IVE HEARD AND SEEN THIS MYTH MANY TIMES! BUT THE FACT IS SOMETIMES THE LADIES ALLOW A GUY TO COME ALONG WITH THEIR HERD TOO! ALTHOUGH STEPPING BEHIND IR FOLLOWING TO SIDE OF HERD! IVE EVEN SEEN 2 BIG BULLS WALKING DOWN A ROAD IN KENYA WITH A NEW BABY THEY FOUND IN MIDDLE! I SPONSORED THIS BABY AND HAVE HEARD SHES LIKE A LIL GIRL BULL! VERY STRONG WILLED!OFTEN CAUSING HAVOC IN ORPHAN GROUP???. YES! THE GUYS HAVE THEIR LIL HERDS TOO WITH A STRONG ROLE MODEL! GENERALLY TRAVEL IN HERDS OF 4 YOUNGER BULLS AND THE PATRIARCH! ELEPHANTS R SO WONDERFUL! GOD CREATED THEM VERY UNIQUELY❤️?❤️

  4. REPLY
    Debra Perry says
    April 16, 2021 at 4:14 pm

    I’m very worried for Tamy living in these deplorable conditions. What will happen to him left all alone without being able to see Pocha & Guillermina through the gate after you all rescue them ?

    • REPLY
      Kat Blais says
      April 16, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      He will gain access to P&G’s space and it will only then become possible for his caregivers and others to begin working with him. He will require a lot of training and this will take time.

  5. REPLY
    Wim says
    April 16, 2021 at 5:18 pm

    So much of beautiful animal life is destroyed by pure ignorance and human stupidity. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be a male Elephant in a safe peaceful herd somewhere in time.
    ??❤️?

  6. REPLY
    Bonnie says
    April 16, 2021 at 5:45 pm

    How is Tamy going to be when the other two are gone is he going to be ok

  7. REPLY
    Julie says
    April 16, 2021 at 7:16 pm

    Thank you for another interesting Friday Elefact! It is consoling to not have to think of the boys as lonely. I know it’s going to be a while, but will Tamy be able to share some space at times with Pocha and Guillermina once at the sanctuary?

    • REPLY
      Kat Blais says
      April 16, 2021 at 7:43 pm

      Part of our goal is to have some sort of integration, but there are a lot of moving pieces to the plan and it will also depend on the other ladies.

  8. REPLY
    Beji says
    April 17, 2021 at 8:22 am

    Let’s hear it for the boys!

  9. REPLY
    Carey says
    April 17, 2021 at 6:31 pm

    very glad you are helping to dispel this myth thank you! I happened to research it when campaigning for Kaavan. I wish a good doc could be produced on ‘Batchelor’ groups, Asian and African. I t must be fascinating watching them learn their behaviours and see their interactions and hierarchy etc.

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