A basic African family unit contains six to twelve members. However, keep in mind that families of twelve or more elephants are quite common in certain areas. Males as they grow older and approach puberty gradually become more independent from the family group. This involves primarily spending more time on the outskirts of the group. Eventually, the males leave the family and join with other males of different ages in a band of bulls.

Of the two different groups--female family groups and bull bands--the female group appears to be the enduring social unit. Often times when groups split apart, they maintain close association between each other; this include travelling together throughout the range. These related groups have been coined 'bond groups' by Joyce Poole and Cynthia Moss.

It is possible that these bond groups form larger units that have been called clans. Obviously, this is very difficult to study as well as to document as we are incapable of speaking and hearing as Elephants do. Thus, we must rely upon observations of greetings ceremonies that require an in-depth longitudinal study. A major problem for this type of ecological research is the fact that subjects are often murdered for their ivory.

After a indeterminate amount of time part of the group will split off to form a new family. This seems to depend on both environmental and social influences. Such as, how well the family members are getting along and the amount of food that is available to support the group. In times of food shortage families typically will split apart to maximize the possibility for survival.

When a matriarch dies, one of her elder offspring often takes the 'throne'.