For those of us who are privileged enough to know a population of elephants, the first outstanding impression is how human they are. This is their most endearing quality. Family groups remain in close contact with each other, using vocalizations and when in proximity are very tactile. Knowing the individuals sets a stage for a continuing story and that is what really motivates those of us at sites where we can identify and observed the same individuals for long periods of time.

Forest elephants that I have observed are not particularly aggressive. In all the time I have spent here it has been rare to see a sustained fight between bulls. Forest bulls may face off but it is always momentarily with one eventually running off. Occasionally they may fight but it lasts no longer than a minute, unlike the battles between savannah bulls. Within the Dzanga population there are some definite personalities whose behavior one can predict after observing them at close range. One of the most predictable individuals is a young bull, called Orlo. We first identified him in September of 2005 and he makes his appearance at the clearing during the wetter months of the year. What makes Orlo unique is that he is one of a few bulls who is really aggressive and on any day we see him he inevitably attacks younger and smaller elephants. Other males are generally unaggressive toward calves and females but Orlo not only chases other elephants who are smaller than him but pushes and pokes them with his tusks. When this happens the other elephants in his vicinity move out of his way nervously and vocalize.

Orlo

A few days ago Orlo entered the bai with an adult female and her two calves and she appeared to be in estrous because Orlo did not leave her side and followed her wherever she went. He was not in musth and for the time that we have known him we have never seen him in musth. We thought the situation would change when Moses entered from the south and approached the favorite mineral hole. Moses who was in full musth didn’t detect the female in estrous and was more preoccupied with the mineral hole than any of the females in the clearing. When we left the clearing Orlo was still guarding the female.

One can only guess why Orlo tends to be aggressive toward other elephants who appear never to be posing a threat to him. Perhaps he was orphaned at a young age and was never properly disciplined by his mother or maybe he witnessed the poaching of his mother which resulted in such unique behavior. In the forest we do all our work on foot and Orlo is one of the elephants we would never want to meet on the path.

Orlo attacks pregnant female

Orlo attacks juvenile female

Share This