About
African elephants are the largest land animals in the world today. The average African elephant will grow to between 8.2 to 13 feet. (2.5 to 4m tall) this is measured from shoulder to toe according to the national geographic.
The elephant is one of the most easily recognizable animals in the whole wide world. A gentle giant of nature, the elephant is truly amazing creature that without the help of conservationists and charities, they could be completely wiped out within a matter of decades. The sad truth is that their habitats are being crushed to make way for infrastructure projects and poachers are still taking aim to these beautiful beats to meet the demands of the illegal ivory trade.
Despite their size, they are actually pretty nimble and can walk up to 195km per day, although they usually only walk an average of only 25km on daily basis. They can also run faster than you would expect, each reaching speeds of 40mph, which is also faster than us humans can run.
Male elephants can grow to be significantly larger than their female counterparts. Still a mighty animal, female elephants, or “Cows”, only grow to somewhere between 9 and 13 feet.
There are 3 species of elephants in the world namely ;
1. African savannah, Loxodonta Africana
2. African forest Loxodnta cyclotis
3. Asian, elephas maximus.
The two different species of elephants found in the African continent, both are very different in their culture and appearance.
Elephant anatomy
An elephant’s trunk is actually a fusion of the upper lip and an elongated nose. The trunk alone can weigh as much as 140kg and can used as a deadly weapon. However, a truck can also be used to pick up a father offer comfort.
• Elephants also have rather large ears ; they are designed this way to pump blood around them to help cool the elephants down under the hot African Sun. The more the ears flap the hotter the elephant is.
• They say an elephant never forgets. This could be because they are extremely intelligent creatures and have brains that can weigh as much as 4-6kg.
• The skin of an elephant can be up to 2.5cm thick in places. Despite this, elephants are very prone to skin parasites and use mud and dust baths to try and get rid of them as well as to cool off.
• Elephants have six sets of teeth that grow one set after another ; throughout their lives.by the time they reach their 50’s most elephant have started to use their final set.
The Elephant communication
Elephants are highly intelligent and social animals that use a variety of different means to communicate with each other by vocalizing a range of calls and sounds. Research has also been shown that many as 70 different calls have already been Identified, ranging from the loud trumpets of panic to the comforting rumbles of reassurance. They also use infrasound that can be heard up to 14km away.
Like many other animals elephants also use smells to pick up information about other elephants and their environment, for example a male can tell a female is ready to mate from the chemical signs she leaves in her urine and feaces. This combined characteristic calls of the time, ensures that all the local mates will know when the time is right to compete for her affections
Elephant reproduction
Reproduction is one of the most important elements of nature.it ensures the continuation of every species and each species does it differently. In the elephant world, females are generally ready to become a mum at around 15 to 16 years old and can give birth to as many as 12 calves thought the course of their lives. The average gestation period of an elephant is 22 months
Elephants live in small family groups led by old females (cows) where food is plentiful. Most males’ bulls live in bachelor herds apart from the cows. The new born elephant is about a meter (3.3feet) tall weighs about 100kg (220 pounds), the calf suckles by using the mouth not the trunk at the mammary gland located in the chest region. Weaning in the calf is a long process and sometimes continues until the mother can no longer tolerate the pokes of the calf .After weaning, many hours of each day are spent eating.
Males do not come into the prime of female elephants until they experience period of “musth” .Musth is a periodic condition in bull elephants that is characterized by highly aggressive behavior and is accompanied by a large rise in reproductive hormones.Testoserone levels in an elephant can be as much as 60times greater than in the same elephant at other times.
Musth can last for as long as six months in the dominants male and they will often stop feeding for several days during this period of time.
Elephant migration
Elephants migrate seasonally according to the availability of food &water, memory plays an important role during this time as they remember locations of water supplies along migration routes. Although unable to jump or gallop, elephants can reach a top speed of 40km (25miles per hr.).their feet are well adapted to carrying their great weight. Their heel is partially elevated and below it is a thick fatty fibrous wedge of tissue protected by the thick skin.
It is not easy for elephants to lie down and get up. They sleep lying down for three to four hours during the night and while standing elephants doze for short periods but do not sleep deeply.
An adult elephant consumes about 100kg of food and 100liters (26 gallons) of water per day, these amounts can double for a hungry and thirsty individual.
Such consumption makes elephants an important ecological factor ; they substantially affect and even alter the ecosystems they live in. The African elephants are herbivores and only eat grass, herbs, fruits, plants and trees.
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