diff --git a/api/api.lua b/api/api.lua
index 0b08967..59d7eba 100644
--- a/api/api.lua
+++ b/api/api.lua
@@ -576,6 +576,7 @@ function animalia.on_activate(self, staticdata, dtime_s)
 			end
 		end
 	end
+	self._tyaw = self.object:get_yaw() or 0
 end
 
 local function lasso_effect(self, pos2)