Male elephants are known to fight over dominance, but for two elephants in Thailand, friendship ultimately took precedence.
After weeks of rivalry over a female, the two male elephants reconciled surprisingly and peacefully—by shaking trunks.
Footage from Chachoengsao province shows Kaenggreang, one of the elephants, extending his trunk to touch his former rival, Siplor, signaling an end to their conflict.
According to park rangers, the tension between the two began when Siplor, in heat during mating season, tried to challenge Kaenggreang, the older and larger elephant, for a female in the herd.
The two bulls kept their distance for weeks, occasionally clashing, including a physical encounter where they bumped tusks.
However, on Sunday, they appeared to have resolved their differences by shaking trunks—a sign of peace among elephants.
Park rangers at Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary, where the elephants roam, keep a close eye on them to ensure the truce holds.
“These two elephants have been squaring off for the past few weeks,” said Panya Wajade, a park employee. “It’s great to see them getting along again, but our team will continue to monitor to ensure this is the case.”
Elephants are highly social animals that live in complex, hierarchical communities. A matriarch leads the herd in these groups, while males typically leave between 12 and 15 to live alone or join other males.
Male and female elephants generally live apart, only coming together during mating season, known as estrus.
During this time, males approach females cautiously. If a female shows interest, she may leave her family group to walk with the male, who will fend off any other rivals.
Before mating, elephants often interact by touching each other with their trunks—a behavior seen in Kaenggreang and Siplor as they put their rivalry behind them.
Read more Elephant News.
