Silly Elephants Elephants form tightly knit family groups. When reunited after a long separation, elephants perform an elaborate greeting ceremony—trumpeting, flapping their ears, and exuberantly intertwining their trunks. Even adult elephants play, sometimes with great enthusiasm, which veteran researcher Cynthia Moss (2000) describes as “elephants acting silly.” Female elephants are intensely devoted to their offspring, and family members often touch one another with what looks like affection (Bradshaw & others, 2005).

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