Table 1. Repertoire of feeding behaviours.
Blow, Search behaviours, Trunk to mouth, Contact to mouth and Drink behaviours were removed from the analysis. Pinch, Grasp, Bundling and Block behaviours are reported in Racine (1980), in which Bundling is called Cradling and vary a little bit in the observed uses.
| Behaviour | Description |
|---|---|
| Pinch | Catch little items between the fingers of the trunk. Can be helped by a breath |
| Side pinch | Catch little items between the fingers of the trunk laying down on one side. Taking the item from the side. Can be helped by a breath |
| Blow | Exhalation around an item, usually to clear lightweight elements like hay or sand |
| Grasp | Wrap the trunk around a big item, which would be difficult to maintain with one finger. Potential side preference |
| Torsion/Pressure | Wrap and torsion of the trunk by creating a pressure point, usually to break a branch |
| Bundling | Compact an item on the ventral part of the trunk once or several times before pinching it and bringing it to the mouth |
| Shake | Shake vigorously a pinch held in the trunk |
| Sweep | Sweep with the side of the trunk to gather items before catching them. Potential side preference |
| Gather | Gather or bring back items with the end of the trunk or just the fingers. Potential side preference |
| Pull | Pull an item to break it or separate from the others |
| Search on the ground | Separate items in a pile with the end of the trunk in order to select and sample only a part |
| Search in height | Separate items in a net in height with the end of the trunk in order to select and sample only a part |
| Search in a box | Separate items in an enrichment box with the end of the trunk in order to select and sample only a part |
| Trunk to mouth | Trunk brought to the mouth without providing or removing items |
| Adjust | Adapt the position of an item going out of the mouth, usually a branch |
| Contact to mouth | Brief touch of the mouth with the end of the trunk |
| Drink | Water suction and releasing into the mouth, trunk high-positioned |
| Bring to mouth | Bring a bite to the mouth in order to eat it |
| Block | Wedge an item between the trunk and a tusk, to keep it from others or to manipulate it |