Elephants are the largest land mammals that currently exist, even so, they do not cease to impress with their size, as well as the strength they possess. These beautiful mammals also stand out for their intelligence, since it has been proven that they have a complex communication system that is part of the social structure, which is mainly made up in a matriarchal way, that is, by several females, their offspring and, to a lesser extent, measure, some males with whom they associate especially in the reproductive seasons.
However, those mentioned are not the only curious facts, as there are various curiosities related to the life of these animals and in this article on our site we want to introduce you to one of them: their way of sleeping. Dare to continue reading and find out how much and how do elephants sleep
How long do elephants sleep?
Like humans, all animals need sleep, since sleep is a biological need. Although there are some aspects that are still little known by science, it is known that part of its importance lies in the fact that it offers a time of rest and recovery for the entire organism, essential to correctly maintain all its functions.
Now, not all animals need to sleep the same amount of time, some sleep much more than others and there is an inverse relationship between size and the amount of sleep of an animal. This is particularly evident in herbivores, who need to spend many hours a day eating to meet their nutritional requirements. In the case of elephants, it has been shown that there is a difference between those that are in captivity and those that inhabit natural spaces. Thus, Elephants living in captivity sleep between 3 and 7 hours a day, while Free elephants sleep only a couple hours per day However, the latter can even go up to 46 hours straight without sleeping. Generally, the latter occurs in the matriarchs or leaders of the group, who, in addition to guiding the herd, are responsible for monitoring and communicating any dangerous situation. Discover more curious facts like this in this other article: "Curiosities of elephants".
Scientists believe that the few hours of sleep that elephants get in the wild is due to two main reasons:
- On the one hand, to the need to locate and consume food (remember that they are animals that weigh tons), so they require a daily intake of large amounts of plant matter.
- On the other hand, need to stay alert to the dangers they are exposed to in natural habitats. Although they are animals that have both large bodies and great strength, and an adult individual is not so easy for a predator to defeat unless it is injured or sick, elephants live in herds and there are usually newborns or small ones to take care of because they are vulnerable to attacks.
Apart from the above, and regardless of how long the elephants sleep, they do not sleep continuously either, but instead do so in fragments of time. In this way, even if they are resting, at times they can also be alert.
Without a doubt, all these aspects related to the dream of elephants have to do with biological conditioning that seeks to guarantee the survival and maintenance of the species.
Do elephants sleep standing up or lying down?
Wonder if elephants sleep standing up or lying down? Elephants can sleep both standing up and lying down However, this can also vary if they are in captivity or in the wild, since in captivity they tend to sleep more lying down than in the wild, where usually they do it standing up
Now, how do elephants sleep? During the sleep phase known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement), which lasts 25% of the total cycle, mammals are unable to move (although there may be alterations and movements do occur) and the muscles are quite relaxed. Well, scientists estimate that elephants enter this sleep phase to a lesser extent because it would be impossible for them to do so while standing, since, as we have mentioned, the body is immobilized and muscle strain would not allow this position. In this sense, it is when elephants sleep lying down that they enter the REM phase
A curious fact about this stage is that experts estimate that both the storage of memories and learning take place during the REM phase, which is also when dreams occur. Although elephants barely enter this phase, they are known for their excellent memory. Although there are debates about whether it is possible to speak of intelligence in animals, we believe that they are capable of qualifying themselves in this way, so elephants are undoubtedly very intelligent animals.
Do elephants sleep during the day or at night?
Elephants usually sleep at night, although this does not prevent them from sleeping during the day, especially in those individuals who have spent a lot of time awake. They are animals that travel long distances in search of food and water, so they usually make long journeys during the day and take breaks at night, but it is common for the pack leader to remain alert while the group sleeps.
On the other hand, where do elephants sleep? It is important to mention that conditions such as temperatures, wind and humidity can influence the places where elephants sleep. Although they usually rest in different areas due to the long mobilizations they carry out, in some cases they have loy alty to certain spaces and return to them.
Studies are still needed to verify certain aspects related to the sleep of elephants and to know if the investigations carried out so far offer generalized data or extrapolations to all these animals. However, with the data obtained so far we can get a slight idea of how elephants sleep.
If you want to continue learning about these magnificent animals, don't hesitate to consult these other articles:
- What do elephants eat?
- Where do elephants live?
