An investigation of the use of touch in the social interactions of a group of Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants

Many species of animals participate in an extensive repertoire of social interactions, which cannot be accomplished successfully without recognizing and responding to the communicative cues present in these social interactions. These communicative cues take place through a variety of sensory modalities, including vision, sound, olfaction, and touch. While the use of touch is salient in many social species, there are surprisingly few studies that examine the communicatory role of touch in these species. For example, Asian elephants (Elephas maxmimus) use tactile cues during social interactions, but little is known about the structure and meaning of these cues in communicating behavioral states. The current study examined the tactile behaviors present in the social interactions of a group of captive Asian elephants in order to gain a better understanding of the communicative functions of these behaviors. Overall tactile behavior patterns, as well as patterns of aggressive and nonaggressive tactile behaviors were examined across elephants. The body parts used to initiate tactile behaviors as well as the body parts that received these tactile behaviors were also examined. Significant differences were seen in the frequency of overall tactile behavior each elephant initiated, as well as in the patterns of aggressive and nonaggressive tactile behaviors each elephant initiated. Individual initiation patterns of tactile behavior for each elephant are discussed and also related to dominance rank. Also, the trunk was the body part that was the most commonly used to initiate tactile behaviors and was the body part that most commonly received tactile behaviors. Tactile behaviors do seem to be an important part of elephant societies. However, much remains to be discovered about the role of tactile behaviors in the social interactions of elephants. Future research should help to elucidate the manner in which touch is used to communicate behavioral states, as well as the extent to which touch is flexible and transmitted culturally.