Introduction
Elephants, despite their huge size, are quite gentle creatures. Also, unlike their size, they cannot move alone; they always move in herds. Sounds like something that you have seen in a forest? Well, then, there’s a lot more you might not know about these gentle creatures. They are also considered to be the largest animal on land. From their unique bodies to intelligence, there is a lot you can learn about elephants. Here are a few of the facts about elephants that we think would be fun to explore.
Elephant species and their characteristics
There are three elephant species on Earth today, and they can be found here:
African Savanna Elephants
African Savanna Elephants can grow up to 30 feet from trunk to tail and weigh around 13,000 pounds or 5,442 kilograms. They can also stand as tall as 12 feet at the shoulder. The African Savanna Elephant is also considered an endangered species.
African Forest Elephants
African forest elephants are considered smaller than African savanna elephants. They weigh around 5,950 pounds or 2,743 kilograms and can stand up to 8.2 feet at the shoulder.
Asian Elephants
Asian elephants can grow to 18 to 21 feet in length and weigh around 4,000 to 11,000 pounds. They can stand 8 to 10 feet tall. Asian elephants are found in India and Southeast Asia, including Borneo and Sumatra.
Elephant Lifespan: How long do they live?
Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild. In a survey of about 4,500 captive elephants worldwide, it was found that out of all African elephants, zoo-born females live an average of 16.9 years in zoos, while those who are out in the wild can live up to 56.
Asian elephants, an even more endangered species, live about 18.9 years in captivity, whereas they live for about 41.7 years in the wild. Captive elephants are major victims of chronic health problems such as arthritis, tuberculosis, and foot abscesses, which lead to premature death.
Where are elephants found?
African elephants tend to inhabit a diverse array of habitats, including tropical forests, grasslands, savannas, and woodlands. There are mainly two species of African elephants and one major species of Asian elephants. African elephants are mainly found in sub-Saharan Africa, where they inhabit grasslands, forests, and savannas. They are distributed across countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, and Kenya, among others.
Asian elephants, on the other hand, are found in most of Southeast and South Asia, including Indonesia, India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Malaysia. They mainly prefer forested areas such as subtropical and tropical forests, but their habitats are increasingly threatened due to human activities such as agriculture and deforestation.
Role of elephant in the ecosystem
Throughout their sheer size, elephants can modify and maintain the physical environment around them in a way that benefits the entire wildlife ecosystem. In doing so, the elephants act as ecosystem engineers that help increase habitat complexity. Their activity produces new habitats for smaller animals, such as lizards, which show a strong preference for elephant-damaged trees using the crevices created by broken tree limbs and torn bark to find refuge. Elephants also create gaps through woodland canopies as they march through, allowing for a variety of plant species to exploit the penetrating light and proliferate.
Elephant preservation
Preservation of elephants involves various strategies that aim at ensuring their well-being and survival in the face of threats such as poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict. Here are some of the key approaches taken for elephant conservation:
Anti-poaching efforts
Implement rigorous anti-poaching measures to combat the illegal hunting of elephants for their ivory tusks and other body parts. This also includes patrols using technologies such as GPS tracking and drones and enforcement of laws against wildlife trafficking.
Protected areas and habitat conservation
It is essential to maintain and establish a few protected areas, such as reserves, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries, where elephants can live undisturbed and protected from human activities.
Transboundary cooperation
Collaborating across borders to protect elephant populations that migrate between different countries will help ensure that they have safe corridors to pass through and protected areas throughout their range.
Global advocacy and funding
Raising global awareness about elephant extinction and securing funding for conservation initiatives through partnerships with NGOs, governments, and private organizations.
Legislation and policies protecting elephants
Advocating for and enforcing laws that protect elephants both on local, national, and international levels are necessary. This also includes banning the ivory trade and other measures that will help combat wildlife crime.
10 Fun facts about elephants
Here are the top 10 fun facts about elephants that you might not have been aware of!
They are the world’s largest land animals
With a height of about 3 m and a weight of about 6,000 kg, these animals are among the largest on land.
They are brilliant & Can Recognize themselves
If elephants see themselves in a mirror, they can easily identify themselves. They are also among the smartest animals who can do this.
Their tusks are actually their teeth
Tusks are nothing but enlarged incisor teeth that first appear in elephants when they are 2 years old and continue growing throughout their lives.
They communicate through Vibrations.
They communicate in various ways, such as trumpet calls, body language, touch, and even scent. They can also communicate through vibrations in the ground that they detect with their bones.
The elephant is pregnant for an average of 22 months.
Female elephants have the longest pregnancy period of any mammal. It takes an average of 22 months for the baby elephants to be ready to be born.
The National Animal of Thailand
The elephant is also considered to be Thailand’s national animal and is a sacred icon in Buddhist religion.
A Baby Elephant can stand within 20 minutes of their birth
They can stand within 20 minutes after they are born, and within just an hour, they can start walking.
Elephants Are Lead by a Matriarch
Mothers in an elephant community tend to lead the herd when travelling long distances for food and water. They are also responsible for solving conflicts.
Elephants Show Signs of Grief
If an elephant family member dies, the family tends to grieve over the bones of the lost family and friends.
Males are more significant than females
Male elephants have a more significant role than females since they pass on survival skills and knowledge to the younger males.
Conclusion:
While those were some fun facts about elephants, they are sure one of the most fun animals in the world. However, they do not have any major predators than us humans in this world. This has been causing major extinction issues right now worldwide. Right now elephants all around the world are fighting for their survival. Despite there being a ban on the international sales of ivory in 1989, the illegal trade has still expanded and is now bigger than ever. We, as humans, need to try to stop this and protect the species at all costs.
FAQ:
Elephants use their body language and vibrations to communicate with each other.
A few of the threats faced by elephants can be provided as follows:
Human conflict
Habitat loss
Climate change
Poaching
Illegal wildlife trades
When they march through dense forests, they make pathways that allow other animals to pass through the forests without any hindrance.
They form complex social groups led by a matriarchy system, whereas males often live in isolation or small bachelor groups.
