Elephant

 

It is known that elephants, which are the largest land mammals on earth, were common in Asia and Africa, but over the last century, their population has started to decline significantly. However, the biggest dangers to Asian elephants are resulting in human-elephant conflict and habitat loss. On the other hand, African elephant populations are most at risk due to the illegal ivory trade’s poaching.

Overview:

WEIGHT

3628-5443 kgs

LENGTH

5.5-7.31 meters.

 

Elephants, who have long trunks; large ears; and massive bodies, are mammals. There are many uses of the trunk such as sucking up water for bathing or drinking, greeting other elephants, trumpeting warnings, and picking up objects. Tusks can be grown in both female and male African elephants, and they could be right or left. However, the African elephant uses the smaller tusks due to tear and wear. There are also many uses of elephant tusks such as stripping bark from trees, gathering food, moving and lifting objects and protecting the trunk of the elephant. However, these extended teeth can also be used to find water underground by digging holes.

The forest elephant and the savanna elephant are the 2 African species. However, each type has its own features, that differentiate them both. The African forest and the Asian forest elephants are smaller in size than the African savanna elephants, which are the largest species of elephants.

However, there are many differences between African elephants and Asian elephants. Here are some of them: both female and male African elephants have tusks, while the male Asian elephants grow tusks, not even all the males. Another difference is that the African elephants’ ears are large and fan-shaped, but the ears of the Asian elephants are smaller.

 

 

The mama elephant leads all the elephants by organizing them into complex social structures of calves and females, while the male ones prefer to stay in little groups or to live in isolation. The gestation period of the female elephants is the longest period of any mammal, which is almost twenty-two months. The mama elephant gives birth to a calf every 4-5 years. Furthermore, the whole herd of related females takes care of the calves. When male calves reach puberty, they leave the herd, while females may stay for their whole lives with their maternal herd.

 

The most important thing in elephants is that they require a wide land area to meet their ecological requirements such as space, water, and food, which also help them to survive. Averagely, each elephant can consume hundreds of kilograms of plants, and feed up to 18 hours every day. Unfortunately, elephants and people conflict when the elephants lose their habitat as they want to meet their ecological requirements.

 

 

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