A long-term study of the behaviour and ecology of the African elephant Loxodonta africana was begun in the Addo Elephant National Park in 1976. During the period June 1976 to March 1979 regular observations were made on all animals. Every individual elephant could be recognised (the population was less than 100 animals) and every individual was seen several times a month. From the start of the study records were kept of whether the temporal gland was secreting or not for every animal at every observation.