1. What is the social life of elephants?
Lesson 4
Grades
2-3
What is the social life of elephants?
Elephants are a lot like us!
Elephants are lot like us!
Elephants are intelligent, they live in social groups, and have complex relationships.

2. What is the social life of elephants?
Lesson 4
Grades
2-3
What is the social life of elephants?
Elephants are a lot like us…they live in families!
Elephants are a lot like us…they live in families!
Elephant families are made up of adult females, or cows, their adult daughters, sisters, and their male and female calves.
Elephant families are very close, have strong bonds
African elephants will stay together their entire lives.
Asian elephants groups vary. Some social groups (females and their calves) are very tight-knit and go everywhere together. They sometimes join up with other groups to from larger social networks, whereas other groups were more isolated. These networks change frequently, some everyday, and are dynamic. Other social groups change their companions almost daily.
In each family, there is one female who leads the groups, she is called the matriarch.
Just like people, these matriarchs lead their family in different ways – some will charge other groups, some will runaway from problems, and some will analyze and think before making decisions.
The elephant family relies on the matriarch to lead the family, to help them find the best sources of food, places to find water, and to remember migration patterns. Just like your family, elephant families will eat, drink water, and travel together.

3. What is the social life of elephants?
Lesson 4
Grades
2-3
What is the social life of elephants?
Elephants are a lot like us…they have family reunions!
Elephants are a lot like us…they have family reunions!
At times, elephant families will come together with many other families. During this time, the females will get together and talk, just like your aunts may get together at your family reunions.
Young elephants will play together, just like you may play with your cousins.

4. What is the social life of elephants?
Lesson 4
Grades
2-3
What is the social life of elephants?
Elephants are a lot like us…they care for their young!
Elephants are a lot like us…they care for their young!
Young elephants spend all of their time with their mother and the other adult females in the family, their aunts. The mother and aunts teach the young elephants how to find food and what foods are good to eat. The matriarch shows the family how to find water, the migration routes, and how to stay safe.
Young elephants will play with other young elephants. This teaches them many of the social behaviors they will need when they are adults. They play with their friends and learn to get along with other elephants, just like you play with your friends!
When the male elephants are grown-up, which is about years old, they will leave the family group. These male elephants, called bulls will form a loose group with other bulls. The bull groups are made up of male elephants who know each other and get along.

5. What is the social life of elephants?
Lesson 4
Grades
2-3
What is the social life of elephants?
Elephants are a lot like us…they greet their friends!
Elephants are a lot like us…they greet their friends!
Because elephants are very social and intelligent, they have complex relationships. Elephants greet their friends even if they haven’t been away that long.
Elephants use their trunks to greet each other. They will touch trunks, touch each others heads with their trunks, and rub their heads together.
The greeting and touching of trunks makes their relationships stronger.

6. What is the social life of elephants?
Lesson 4
Grades
2-3
What is the social life of elephants?
Elephants are a lot like us…they protect their family , “talk” to each other and help each other out!!
Elephants are a lot like us…they are social, intelligent animals with complex social lives!