The elephant is one of the most recognizable animals in the entire world. African elephants and Asian elephants are true gentle giants. Many of us have seen them in zoos, and some of us have even been lucky enough to spot them in their natural habitat.
A gentle giant of nature, the elephant is a truly amazing creature that, without the help of conservationists and charities, could be completely wiped out within a few decades. The sad truth is that their habitats are being crushed to make way for infrastructure projects, and poachers continue to prey on these beautiful beasts to meet the demands of the illegal ivory trade.
AFRICAN ELEPHANT FACTS
African elephants live in sub-Saharan Africa, in the tropical rainforests of central and west Africa and in the Sahel desert of Mali. Their Asian contemporaries are found in Nepal, India and Southeast Asia in scrub forests and rainforests.
Elephants are powerful beasts, and they have evolved to survive perfectly well in hot and arid conditions. They are herbivores, meaning they eat leaves, roots, fruits and grasses, but do not eat the meat of other animals. They are the gentle vegetarian giants of the African savannahs and can be found roaming in as many as 37 countries across the African continent.
Elephants trample and dig in dry streambeds or other places to discover the water hiding beneath the surface. They often create very large holes by digging with their legs, trunks, and tusks, working until they reach a sufficient water supply for them all to share.
Their sheer size makes them difficult for predators such as leopards, lions or jaguars to eat. At night, the adults form a circle around the calves to protect them from danger. They also have thick skin, making them difficult to bite.
Africa is also home to forest elephants that have uniquely adapted to the forest habitat of the Congo Basin. These elephants have evolved to survive in their own habitat and are smaller in size, making them better suited to life in the lush conditions of the rainforest. Unfortunately, it is African forest elephants that are most threatened by poachers and their numbers continue to decline.
FACTS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THESE LARGE AFRICAN MAMMALS
African elephants are the largest land animals in the world today. The largest African elephant ever recorded was found in Angola, swinging at a mass of 11,000 kg, with a shoulder height of 3.96 meters, and being at least a meter taller than the average elephant of African males!
The average African elephant reaches a size of 8 to 12 feet from shoulders to feet and weighs between 5,000 and 14,000 pounds. (2,268 to 6,350 kilograms), according to National Geographic.
Male elephants can grow much larger than their female counterparts. Female elephants, or "cows", are still powerful animals that can only reach a size of around 2 to 3 meters and a weight of between 2,000 and 3,000 kg.
Both sexes have ivory tusks, which are actually elongated incisors. However, the male's tusks are longer and heavier, weighing between 110 and 175 pounds each. Female tusks weigh about 40 pounds each.
African elephants are famous for their very large ears. Considered to be shaped like the African continent itself, the large surface area of their ears helps keep them cool in the hot African sun.
THE LOVE AND SOCIAL LIFE OF ELEPHANTS
Rumor has it that elephants mate for life. Although this is not necessarily true, zoologists have proven that they will never stray from their mating partners.
They are known to be capable of developing strong and intimate bonds between friends and family members. They can form lifelong friendships and will often only move in the same groups for their entire lives. Elephants are also known to mourn the death of a loved one, and have even been seen mourning their stillborn calves, or baby elephants who do not survive the first few months of their life. Family groups have even been known to return to places where friends or family members have died and linger there for a period of time.
There's also a lot of truth in the old adage that "elephants never forget," which helps them form long-term relationships. Elephants need excellent memory to survive in the wild, and can recognize a previous mate or family member just by the smell of their urine.
So while elephants aren't as romantic as we like to believe, they certainly form strong bonds within their own social networks. Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild, so it is important for them to be part of a group.
