Elephants are the largest mammals that exist on land. Their great size and beauty have caused the admiration of all human civilizations that have known them. Throughout history, they have been used to carry objects and even to fight in war. Subsequently, they have been captured in the wild to be exhibited in zoos and circuses, as well as for parading tourists who come to South Asia.
However, very few people know that these animals have an intelligence very similar to ours and are capable of developing all emotions that we know in the human being. This has not caused their captures to obtain ivory to decrease, which is today their greatest threat. Do you want to know more about these interesting animals? Don't miss this article on our site about what do elephants eat, in which we tell you many more curiosities.
Characteristics of elephants
Elephants (Elephantidae) are a family of mammals belonging to the order Proboscidea. They are characterized by their large size and longevity, with a life expectancy of around 80 years One of the main characteristics of elephants is their enormous ears. They use them to regulate their temperature by shaking. Although it may seem so, they do not fan themselves, but instead expel excess heat accumulated in their body through their ears.
Another important characteristic of elephants is their elongated and strong nose, better known as a trunk. Thanks to her, these animals have one of the best senses of smell in the animal kingdom. In addition, they use their trunk to catch water and spray themselves with it, as if it were a shower. They also use it to catch food and then carry it to their mouths. Later we will see how and what exactly elephants eat.
Finally, the most unknown characteristic of elephants is that they have a very large brain in relation to their size. In addition, they are the animals with the largest volume of cerebral cortex and their hippocampus is one of the largest in the world. This gives them a great cognitive and emotional capacity In fact, it is believed that their intelligence is very similar to ours, as well as their empathy and their way of socializing.
Elephant Habitat
As we explained in the article about where elephants live, their habitat depends on each species. Currently, there are only three species that live in quite different places. This is the habitat of each of them:
- African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africanus): inhabits the savannahs of central and southern Asia. These are transitional ecosystems with few trees and abundant grass.
- African Jungle Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis): lives in the jungles of central-west Africa, where vegetation and fauna abound.
- Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus): Its population was greatly reduced during the 20th century. Currently they only live in some forests in South Asia and are the only elephants in danger of extinction, although Africans are considered vulnerable.
Elephant feeding
As we mentioned before, elephants use their trunks to pick up food that is high up and on the ground. In addition, they can take it directly with their mouths if their height is moderate. If the food is buried in the ground, they must first dig it up with their feet and tusks, which are also used to search for water. But what exactly do elephants eat? Let's see it.
The elephant's diet is based on grasses, roots, leaves and bark of certain trees and shrubs. Therefore, elephants are herbivorous animals. To maintain their enormous body size, they need to eat for around 15 hours a day and can consume up to 150kg of plants each day. The specific diet depends on the different types of elephants and, above all, on the place where they live.
African and Asian jungle elephants mainly consume leaves and tree bark. In addition, they usually consume a significant amount of fruit This is a fundamental difference with the savanna elephant, since the availability of fruit in this ecosystem is very limited. The feeding of the savannah elephant is also highly dependent on the season. During times of drought, herbs are scarce, so they basically feed on shrubby and arboreal acacias.
Do elephants eat peanuts?
Peanuts are legumes originating in South America. Therefore, elephants do not eat peanuts in their natural state. However, during their exhibition in zoos and circuses it is very common for spectators to feed them peanuts. Due to their large amount of fat, they are very appetizing fruits for elephants, although it is not he althy for them to eat many.
Elephant curiosities
Now that we know what elephants eat, you are probably still asking yourself a lot of questions. Therefore, we have put together some interesting aspects of their biology and behavior. Here are some curiosities of the elephant.
How much do elephants weigh?
When they are born, the average weight of an elephant is about 90 kilograms. As they develop, they greatly increase in size, being able to reach 5,000-6,000 kilograms in weight. The largest elephants are the African savannahs that can reach 4 meters in height.
How do elephants move?
Elephants are very fast animals that easily reach 25 kilometers per hour. It is not because they are good runners, but because of their large size. In fact, they don't run as we might imagine, but trot with their front legs and walk with their hind legs. This allows them to use energy very efficiently.
How do elephants live?
Elephants form herds of about 15-20 members, except for the African bush elephants, whose groups tend to be a little smaller. These herds are matriarchies ruled by the oldest female and with hardly any males. In fact, the males are only in the group until they reach sexual maturity. When this time comes, they separate from the herd and live alone, although some may form groups with other males.
Like human beings, elephants are gregarious animals, that is, social animals that establish very strong bonds with members of their herd. In fact, behaviors such as mourning after the loss of a loved one and the adoption of orphaned offspring have been recorded in them. It is also very common for different packs to get together to socialize during the bath.
How are elephants born?
The pregnancy of elephants lasts 22 months, that is, almost 2 years. However, they take a very short time to give birth. As we already told you in the article about how elephants are born, in each delivery a single calf is born that measures around 1 meter in heightAt that moment, it becomes one more member of the herd, where everyone is in charge of protecting it from possible predators.
The little elephant will spend a year hiding under her mother's long legs while she nurses. Later, he begins to supplement his diet with leaves and the most tender parts of plants. However, it will not be until he is 4 years oldthat he will stop drinking milk and begin to be more independent
