Habitat:
Savannas, river valleys, thorn bush, dense forest and desert scrub
Diet:
Wild: Leaves, bark, fruit, grass, twigs and roots
Zoo: Timothy hay, fruit and vegetables
Gestation:
19 to 22 months
Litter:
1
Life Span:
55 to 60 years
Description:
There is no mistaking an elephant for anything else. They are the largest living land animal, and have a unique trunk and tusks that no other animal has. The trunk contains more than 40,000 muscles and is capable of both great strength and great dexterity. In addition, the elephant has enormous ears that if flaps back and forth as a threat display, or to cool its body. Males can grow to 11½ feet tall and weigh 12,000 pounds. Females can grow to 9 feet and weigh 6,000 to 10,000 pounds. Despite their great bulk they walk in digitigrade fashion, that is, on their toes.Elephants usually live in herds of related females and their offspring. The leader is an elderly female. The males live apart either singly or in all-male herds. Elephants roam over wide ranges and can walk for many hours without rest. They can use their sensitive trunks to detect a rainstorm up to 15 miles away. They will walk there to feed on the lush plant growth the rain causes or to drink the water. When walking the herd covers about four miles per hour, but they can sustain a rate of eight miles per hour when necessary. They can run for short distances at up to 25 mph and can easily overtake a human sprinter. They can walk or swim across a river, but cannot jump over a ditch only 5 feet wide.Elephant babies weigh 200+ lbs. at birth, and nurse for 2 years. They need 13 to 15 years to mature. All herd members care for all babies.
Behavior: Elephants usually live in herds of related females and their offspring. The leader is an elderly female. The males live apart either singly or in all-male herds. Elephants roam over wide ranges and can walk for many hours without rest. They can use their sensitive trunks to detect a rainstorm up to 15 miles away. They will walk there to feed on the lush plant growth the rain causes or to drink the water. When walking the herd covers about four miles per hour, but they can sustain a rate of eight miles per hour when necessary. They can run for short distances at up to 25 mph and can easily overtake a human sprinter. They can walk or swim across a river, but cannot jump over a ditch only 5 feet wide. They are highly intelligent, and have been observed using tools. When the last of six sets of teeth wear down, they will die of starvation.
Reproduction: Elephant babies weigh 200+ lbs. at birth, and nurse for 2 years. They take 8 to 12 years to mature. All herd members care for all babies. They are frequently touched by adult females as a sign of reassurance.
They are very intelligent animals, and require special care in zoos to keep them occupied and happy.
The Genus name, Loxodonta, is from the Greek loxos, meaning "slanting," and genitive odontos, meaning "a tooth." The grinding surfaces of the teeth appear to be lozenge-shaped. The species name, africana, means "from Africa."
Elephants communicate by subsonic sounds over distances of up to four miles.
Elephants may eat up to 660 lbs. of food and drink 43 gallons of water in a day.
They help replant the forests they devour. They utilize about half of the food they eat, passing undigested seeds through their system. These seeds are deposited with large piles of fertilizer (220 lbs. per day). Some seeds will not germinate without first passing through an elephant's system.
They are known to grieve and mourn the loss of a loved one.
An elephant's ear may weigh up to 100 lbs.
An elephant's trunk can grow up to seven feet in length.
An elephant's tail can range from 28 to 40 inches in length.
A male is called a "bull," a female a "cow" and a juvenile a "calf."
