![]() (Photo by Ken Bohn, SDZWA) Girl Power: Female Social Groupsįemale elephant society is structured as a nested hierarchy of herds. “This is an extended learning period where they can safely learn how to be social, learn about their environment, and learn from mistakes, all while being surrounded by the protection of their mother and herd.”Ī herd navigates the African savanna together. ![]() Shifra explains that the early years are a key developmental period for calves, as this is when they also learn how to establish and build the social relationships that they will rely on for many years. Calves need to learn how to use landscapes in a way that meets their needs, and knowing where to go is a multi-year learning process,” says Shifra Goldenberg, Ph.D., a San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance scientist who has been studying elephant behavior for ten years. ![]() “These are dynamic landscapes, with sources of food and water changing seasonally. The calf continues to learn important survival skills as it grows into adolescence, watching how its mother and the other members of its natal herd navigate the savanna and utilize resources. The calf is completely dependent on its mother for the first few years of life, relying on her for nutrition, guidance, and protection. (Photo by Ken Bohn, SDZWA) Cow and CalfĮlephant socialization begins at birth, with the first crucial bond forming between a female (cow) and her calf. A cow bonds with her calf at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. ![]()
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