Consistency and flexibility of character in free-ranging male African elephants across time, age, and social contexts

Abstract

Post-dispersal male African elephants (Loxodonta africana) live within complex social networks. To quantify the consistency of male elephant character (or personality) within these networks, we employed behavioral repeatability analysis tools across social and environmental contexts. We collected behavioral data from thirty-four individually-identified male elephants at the same waterhole over five field seasons (2007–2011) in Etosha National Park, Namibia. Using repeatability models to assess ten behavioral categories, we found five behaviors (affiliation, aggression, dominance, self-directed anxious, and self-directed comfort) were consistent at the individual level. Some of these behaviors were also repeatable, depending on social context. In particular, the presence of younger males and a keystone male (i.e., the most dominant and socially-integrated individual during our study period) had the biggest impact on adult male behaviors. Surprisingly, the presence of elephants in musth had little impact. Finally, we found that younger individuals were more alike in their overall character profiles than older males, further supporting the hypothesis that male elephants develop unique, yet socially-flexible character types as they age. These results demonstrate that male elephants possess distinct character traits that are also behaviorally adaptable, depending on the social context. Overall, our research further highlights the complexity of male elephant individuality and social dynamics that might be leveraged to improve in-situ and ex-situ management and conservation decisions for the species.