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1. The social structure of elephants is complex, varying by gender, and population dynamics. Adult elephants form matriarchal (female-led) societies. Adult males are usually solitary.
2. Males
   • Adult male elephants are solitary in nature but may associate with other bulls (adult males) in small, unstable groups. Males will leave the family unit (natal unit) between 12 and 15 years of age.
   • Bulls that associate in small groupings have a hierarchal-ranking social structure. Leaders, determined by age and strength, protect the front and rear of the herd. More docile (quiet-natured) bulls do not seek leadership roles, but serve as stabilizing members within the group. Hierarchical roles are re-established and re-adjusted whenever a male leaves or enters the group.
   • Although primarily solitary in nature, bulls will associate with non-natal family units (family units to which they are not related). Bulls do not have preferences for specific family units and will randomly move to different groupings daily and even hourly looking for reproductively receptive females. The bulls' nomadic (wandering) social system allows them to maximize reproductive potential. With this system, a single bull can potentially find up to 30 mates in a year, as opposed to fathering four calves in three years, if he associates with only one family unit
3. Females
   • Female social structure is similar to concentric rings, with the innermost circle comprising a family unit of related adult cows (females). Family units range in size from three to 25 individuals; including the eldest, most dominant female called the matriarch, her adult daughters, and their calves, and a number of juveniles. From this stable core, the groupings widen to include less familiar individuals.
   
   Two females from the same family unit share
   bathing time together.

 4.Matriarchs / Hierarchy Status

• The oldest, most dominant female is called the matriarch. The matriarch is the backbone of the elephant family unit because she provides stability and determines ranging patterns for the rest of the family.
• The other females comprising the family unit are usually the matriarch's daughters and their offspring. The hierarchal ranking for these females is based on leadership, experience, and age. Generally, the older the female, the higher her ranking.
• The primary function of elephant family units is the protection and rearing of calves. Adult females cooperate in the assistance of calf movements, foraging, protection, and social experiences. Calf survivability greatly increases with an increased number of females taking care of them.
• Elephant family units may have consistent, friendly interactions with other units. These associated families are called kin or bond groups and will mingle, feed, and interact with one another frequently. Bond groups may be composed of unrelated females or of related.
• Under ideal environmental circumstances, family units may congregate in groups of up to six families. Occasionally, there may be herd aggregations ranging in size from 500 to 1,000 individuals around watering holes and other consolidated resources. Herd aggregations have also been documented in areas of intense poaching (illegal hunting) pressure.
• Large congregations of elephants occur more frequently with African elephants than Asian. In regions with less food, smaller elephant family units are found. In regions with abundant food, larger social groups are formed.