To the question How many species of elephants are there on Earth? What is the difference? given by the author I'll be better the best answer is Until the end of the last century, it was thought that only two species of elephants lived on earth - Indian and African. But at the end of the last century, German zoologist Paul Machi discovered a new species of elephant in Africa (Cameroon). He described it in 1900 under the name of the round-eared elephant (Elephas cyclotis, now Loxodonta cyclotis). This species, unlike the typical African or long-eared elephant (Loxodonta africapa), has small, less angular, more rounded ears. At first, round-eared and long-eared elephants were considered different subspecies of the same species - the African elephant. But then they were noticed to have such incompatible features that forced zoologists to distinguish round-eared and long-eared elephants into separate species. But the most important difference between long-eared and round-eared elephants is the number of toes. The long-eared African elephant has four toes on its front legs and only three toes on its back legs. The forest elephant has one more toe on each foot.
But the family of thick-skinned giants is not limited to just these three representatives.
For a long time now, reports have been coming from Africa about dwarf elephants that supposedly live in the depths of its virgin forests. These<игрушечные>the animals are even smaller than round-eared elephants. They say that they are no taller than a cow. In Liberia, dwarf elephants are called<сумби>, in Gabon<ассала>.In 1906 in a zoological journal<Зоологише Анцейгер>an article by the German zoologist Theodor Noack appeared, in which he described a new species he had studied African elephants- Loxodonta pumilio, which means in Latin -<слон-карлик>.Strange animals lived in captivity for years, and never even in mature age The height of these elephants did not exceed two meters.
Is there some more<водяные слоны>different from the usual ones. U<водяных слонов>small ears, short trunks and unusually long necks.
This is therefore the fifth species of elephant. But he is not the last. At different times and in different places in Africa, 12 more species and subspecies of elephants were discovered. Understanding this incredible confusion of round-eared, long-eared, forest, swamp, water, southern, northern and other elephants has become beyond the power of even experienced specialists.
However, scientists have come to a CLASSIFICATION OF ELEPHANTS:
The elephant family (Elephantidae) belongs to the order Proboscis, a class of mammals. The family includes three species of elephants belonging to two genera.
African elephants, Loxodonta
Savannah African elephant, Loxodonta africana
African forest elephant, Loxodonta cyclotis
Indian elephants, Elephas
Indian elephant, Elephas maximus
The remaining species, including mammoths (Mammuthus), became extinct during the Ice Age, which ended about 10,000 years ago.
Answer from philosophy[guru]
African and Indian. They differ in size, body structure and ear shape.
Answer from Flush[guru]
two, I think. African and Indian. some have bigger tusks
Answer from dampness[active]
There are two types of elephants: the African elephant and the Asian elephant. They differ significantly from each other in a number of ways. ..
Answer from [TitoBlonDoeptyFla][guru]
🙂 Everything doesn’t fit)))
Answer from Natasha[guru]
There are actually only three types:
savannah african elephant
African forest elephant
Indian elephant
and there are also mammoths :)
and in the east (where the Indian elephant is) there is a belief that there are white elephants - like albotross - and they bring happiness))
I just don't think anyone saw them
Answer from *@ Catherine @ *[guru]
By the end of the last ice age, all species of proboscis disappeared, with the exception of elephants.
There are two types of elephants:
AND
They differ significantly from each other in a number of ways. The huge ear of the African elephant, in its shape, resembles Africa as we are used to seeing it on the map, and the Asian elephant - India.
The Asian elephant is smaller than the African elephant, its back is arched upward. At the end of the trunk, the "African" has two processes - "fingers", while the "Indian" has only one.
Finally, both male and female African elephants have well-developed tusks, while in female Asian elephants they are so small that they are almost invisible. Indian elephants do not have tusks, and if they do, they are not visible from the outside. Males have tusks about a meter and a half long.
One third of an elephant's tusk is hidden in the body under the skull. Nowadays there are no elephants with huge tusks, since all individuals with such tusks were killed by hunters centuries ago, and the length of the tusks is a genetically inherited trait. Nowadays you rarely see an elephant with tusks. Which would be even half as much as its predecessors. An elephant's tusks grow throughout its life and are an indicator of its age. Elephants are “right-handed” and “left-handed” because they adapt to working with their right or left tusk. Thus, their tusk is shorter than the other because it wears out faster. Elephants' tusks can be not only of different sizes, but also of different shapes, and can also grow sideways - scientists distinguish elephants by their tusks and the shape of their ears.
Elephants are the largest land mammals of our planet. Previously, their ancestors inhabited vast territories, but today, of the 40 species of these animals known to science, only representatives of 2 of them can be found on the planet (in some classifications - 3 species, but more on that later). About where elephants live today, what are their species characteristics and little about some known facts from the biology of these giants will be discussed in this article.
Systematic position
Modern elephants are mammals from the order Proboscis, the elephant family (Elephantidae). This family today is represented by only two genera - Loxodonta and Elephas, each of which has one species: African and Indian (or Asian) elephants. True, there is debate about how many species of elephants live on the planet. Scientists have not yet come to a consensus.
In some sources, forest elephants in Africa are identified as a separate species. Next we will characterize all these species. Since forest and African elephants can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, this makes them a subspecies rather than a separate species of animal.
Modern giants
So, today on the planet you can find the following representatives of the proboscis family:
- Savannah elephant(Loxodonta africana) is the largest representative of the species. The record holder is an elephant shot in Angola in 1974. It weighed 10.4 tons. The average male weighs up to 7 tons, the female - 5 tons. The height at the withers is up to 3.8 meters, and the body length is up to 7.5 meters. Distinctive feature– massive tusks, which in males reach 2.5 meters. Body light gray, head with huge ears.
- The forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) is relatively recently identified as a separate species. Height at withers – 2.4 meters. The skin is gray in color with quite thick, compared to its "cousins", hairline Brown color. Another distinctive feature is rounded ears.
These two species are representatives of the fauna of the African continent. Phylogenetically, these 2 elephants are thought to have diverged 2.5 billion years ago. Their differences are significant, but the main thing is where the elephant lives. Savannahs are the inhabitants of savannahs, while forest dwellers live in tropical jungles.
- The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) is a representative of another evolutionary branch. The habitat where elephants of this species live in nature is fragmented and limited to the countries of the Indo-Malayan geographical region. Asian elephants are smaller than African elephants. Their weight can reach 5.4 tons, height from 2.5 to 3.5 meters, and body length - 5.5 meters. Body color ranges from dark gray to brown. A distinctive feature is low-set and smaller ears and not so large tusks (up to 1.6 meters). Moreover, only males have them, and not all of them. In addition, elephants in India are forest dwellers.
There are differences - the essence is the same
African and Asian elephants, although different in appearance, lead, in general, the same way of life and remain the largest representatives of land fauna. Regardless of where elephants live - in Africa or in Asia, they are amazingly smart and have virtually no natural enemies.
Elephants are social animals. They live in groups of 9-12 females with cubs, in which family ties are maintained and the female is the main one in the hierarchy. Males live in separate temporary groups or alone and are allowed to the female during the mating period (estrus).
At this time, male elephants in India and Africa engage in mating fights. And the winner joins the group for a short time. Interestingly, smaller Indian male elephants behave more aggressively during the rutting period than African males.
Famous Strangers
There is not a person who has not seen a live elephant. We know a lot about them, but they never cease to amaze people.
A big “ship” has a lot of food. The average elephant eats from 150 to 300 kilograms of plant food per day, while in nature they spend up to 20 hours a day eating. A daily norm water – 200 liters. Do you want a pet like this?
Elephants have poor vision. But a thunderstorm or rain can be felt at a distance of up to 10 kilometers. The five-ton animal can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h. They love to swim and bathe. But they sleep exclusively standing up.
Elephants are smart and have good memory. The intelligence of an animal is equal to the intelligence of primates, and he will literally remember the person who offended him by sight for the rest of his life. Elephants communicate through sounds and ultrasound, much like dolphins, but in this case the sound wave travels along the ground. And elephants perceive it with sensitive soles.
And just recently, scientists discovered genes in elephants that protect them from cancer. People also have such genes, but, unlike us, elephants are almost not susceptible to cancer. This is encouraging. How many more surprises will these amazing animals present to humanity?
The main enemy is man
These giants have practically no enemies in nature. Large predatory cats can attack the cubs, but such an undertaking is also very dangerous for them.
African elephants are at risk of extinction due to their tusks. Their Indian relatives live in the most densely populated part of the planet and are deprived of their natural habitat.
In addition, elephants are favorite animals of zoos and circuses. But in captivity they practically do not reproduce. This great luck, if a baby elephant is born in a zoo. Indian and African elephants do not interbreed. And the only known hybrid elephant calf died in infancy (he was born in 1978 by accident in one of the zoos in England).
Also, roasted elephant trunk is considered a delicacy. But an elephant becomes sexually mature at the age of 25, and lives up to 80 years. The female carries the baby elephant for up to 21 months, then feeds it with milk for 2 years and does not mate. And it’s rare when two babies are born.
So how can you not worry about these giants, which, like ships, leisurely plow the vast expanses of the endless savannahs?
Elephants are large mammals, of which there are two species: African and Indian. Previously, Mammoths (extinct during the Ice Age) and Mastodons (extinct during the period of the first appearance of man on the North American continent) lived on Earth. In this article we will answer the question: “Where do elephants live?” and consider their habitat and habits.
Differences between Indian and African elephants
Despite the apparent 100% similarity in appearance, Indian and African elephants have many differences. Let's take a closer look at them.
- African elephants are superior to their Indian relatives in size and weight. The height of an adult animal living in Africa reaches 3.7 meters and weighs 6.5 tons. For comparison, for Indian relatives these figures are 3.5 meters and 5 tons.
- African elephants have larger ears, with veins clearly visible through their thin skin. It is noteworthy that each individual has a different pattern of veins on its ears, just like people have fingerprints.
- Distinctive feature African elephants are considered to have long, strong tusks in every animal, regardless of gender. Among Indian elephants, only males have this decoration. Tusks grow throughout life and act as an indicator of age.
- The Indian elephant is calmer. Thanks to simple training, he becomes a reliable assistant to a person. He is trained to transport trees, lay planks, or retrieve objects from rivers.
That's not all Interesting Facts about these animals. The following information will be useful to schoolchildren who want to get the maximum score for the Unified State Exam. Among the elephants there are “left-handed” and “right-handed”. Belonging to a certain category is determined by which tusk is shorter. These animals work with one tusk, as a result of which it wears out faster.
Elephant bone is expensive as an ornamental base, so they often die at the hands of poachers. Now the trade in ivory has been banned, but still hundreds of these amazing animals die every year due to human fault.
Elephants have 4 molars. The weight of each tooth the size of a brick reaches 2-3 kilograms. Animals replace their molars 6 times during their life. With age, tooth sensitivity increases, which forces animals to stay closer to swampy areas with soft vegetation.
The elephant differs from other animals in its impressive body weight, design, behavior and the presence of a long nose. Trunk - connection upper lip and the nose with which he showers, breathes, smells, drinks and makes sounds. With this organ, containing 100 thousand muscles, the animal takes objects weighing up to a ton and carries tens of kilometers.
Habitat and habits of elephants
African giant lives in the steppes of Africa and Egypt. Indian individuals live in India, Ceylon, Indochina, and Burma.
- Elephants live in a herd of up to 50 individuals, which are bound by behavioral norms. Some live separately because they are more likely to show aggression and are dangerous.
- There is a friendly atmosphere in the herd, relatives take care of the offspring and support each other.
- These are socially developed animals. They can show emotions and remember objects, places and people.
Elephants eat 130 kg of food per day (leaves, bark, fruits) and spend most of their time searching for it. Sleep no more than 4 hours a day. Animals are often located near rivers or lakes and drink 200 liters of water per day. The elephant is a good swimmer and easily swims long distances regardless of body weight.
The giant has a massive skeleton, making up 15% of its body weight. The skin reaches a thickness of 25 mm and is shrouded in sparse hairs. On average, an elephant lives 70 years. He cannot jump, but his running speed reaches 30 km per hour.
The female carries the baby for 88 weeks. This is a record among animals. A baby elephant is born every four years, weighing about 90 kg and measuring about a meter in height. The birth of a baby is important for members of the herd.
These mammals have a clear language of communication. When an elephant is depressed or aggressive, the ears become spread apart. For protection, tusks, trunk and massive legs are used. In a moment of danger or fright, the animal squeals and, running away, literally demolishes everything in its path.
Where do elephants live in captivity?
Almost every zoo has elephants. It is not surprising, because they arouse special interest among the public. But sometimes even well-known zoos, due to the lack of a suitable place to keep them, refuse these animals.
Elephants suffer from boredom in confined spaces. IN natural environment they spend a lot of time searching for and absorbing food. In a small enclosure it is not possible to wander around enough, and a small number of individuals leads to disruption of social contacts.
European zoos are trying to provide elephants with spacious pens for walking. Less docile males, who are dangerous in a state of turmoil, are given additional space. Some zoos provide pens for females with their offspring. This allows members of the small herd to get to know the new addition.
Diversity of range is of great importance in elephant breeding. Large elephant herds set up enclosures so that animals can move freely. Such conditions are more suitable for successful breeding captive.
Elephants are socially developed mammals. For many reasons, this species is on the verge of extinction. Animals need protection and protection. This fact found a lot positive feedback among scientists and officials. Nature reserves are being actively created where animals live under protection. The territory of such complexes must correspond to the normal habitat. On this moment Several reserves meet these requirements, including:
- Bandipur National Park, India.
- Amboseli National Park, Kenya.
- Elephant Sanctuary in Knysna, South Africa.
- Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, Malaysia.
- Elephant Safari Park, Bali.
Each of the listed places is ideal for an entertaining summer holiday.
People harm environment, therefore, many species of animals are dying out, but there remains hope that some of the most large mammals– elephants will continue to live not only in captivity, but also in their native environment. The task of man is to help ensure that children can enjoy the greatness of these animals in the vastness of the savannah and forests.
Elephant pedigree
Both the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) and the African elephant (Loxodonta) and its two species:
The African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) and the African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana) are descendants of Proboscidea, an ancient animal with a trunk.
Elephants living today are descended from two different ancestral branches that evolved in parallel. Both of them developed when dinosaurs dominated the earth. It was then that Moeritheres appeared on the territory of modern Egypt - animals similar to tapirs. This happened in the Paleocene era (65 million years ago).
The structure of the skull and the arrangement of the teeth of these proboscideans were almost the same as those of the modern elephant, and the four teeth were the harbingers of modern tusks.
Another branch was represented by Deinotheridae, animals living in Africa and Eurasia. Being in favorable living conditions, all these animals over the next 26 million years spread throughout Africa and Eurasia, and over time, throughout North and South America.
Different climatic conditions and habitats have led to the emergence of different species of proboscis. They lived everywhere - from the polar ice cap to the desert, including the tundra, taiga, forests, as well as savannah and swamps.
Elephant Ancestors
Deinotherium(Deinotheridae) lived in the Eocene era (58 million years ago) and were very similar to modern elephants. They were much smaller, had a shorter trunk, and two tusks were curled down and back. These animals became extinct 2.5 million years ago.
Gomphotherium(Gomphoterium) lived in the Oligocene era (37 million years ago). They had an elephant body, but a vestigial trunk. The teeth were similar to those of modern elephants, but there were also four small tusks, two of which were curled up and two down. Some had a flat jaw, allowing them to scoop up swamp vegetation. Others had a much smaller jaw, but with highly developed tusks. Gomphotheres became extinct 10 thousand years ago.
From Gomphotherium in the Miocene-Pleistocene era (10-12 million years ago) originated Mamutids(Mammutidae), often called mastodons.
These animals were almost the same as elephants, but had more powerful body, long tusks and more long trunk. They also differed in the location of their teeth. Their eyes were much smaller, and their bodies had dense hair. It is assumed that mastodons lived in forests until primitive people came to the continent (18 thousand years ago).
Elephantids(Elephantidae) evolved from mastodons in the Pleistocene era (1.6 million years ago) and gave rise to the family Mammuthus, the closest family to prehistoric elephants, the huge, hairy mammoths and two lineages of modern elephants: Elephas and Loxodonta.
Mammuthus imperator lived in the southern part of North America and was the largest mammoth: 4.5 m at the withers.
The northern woolly mammoth, Mammuthus premigenius, lived in northern North America and is the most studied species, with several intact frozen specimens found and preserved in this form to this day.
Woolly mammoths were slightly larger than modern elephants and protected themselves from the cold with long, dense, reddish fur and a subcutaneous layer of fat up to 76 mm thick. Their long tusks were curled downwards, forwards and inwards and served to tear apart the snow that covered the vegetation.
Mammoths went extinct about 10 thousand years ago during the last ice age. According to many scientists, Upper Paleolithic hunters played a significant or even decisive role in this extinction. In the mid-1990s, in the journal Nature one could read about a stunning discovery made on Wrangel Island. Reserve employee Sergei Vartanyan discovered the remains of mammoths on the island, the age of which was determined to be from 7 to 3.5 thousand years. Subsequently, it was discovered that these remains belonged to a special, relatively small subspecies that inhabited Wrangel Island at a time when the Egyptian pyramids had long stood, and which disappeared only during the reign of Tutankhamun and the heyday of the Mycenaean civilization.
One of the latest, most massive and southernmost burials of mammoths is located in the Kargatsky district of the Novosibirsk region, in the upper reaches of the Bagan River in the Volchya Griva area. It is believed that there are at least one and a half thousand (1,500) mammoth skeletons here. Some of the bones bear traces of human processing, which makes it possible to build various hypotheses about the residence of ancient people in Siberia.
Order Proboscis
Proboscis (lat. Proboscidea) - a detachment of placental mammals, owe their name to their main distinctive feature- trunk. The only representatives of proboscis today are the elephant family (Elephantidae). The extinct families of proboscis include mastodons (Mammutidae).
Proboscideans are distinguished not only by their trunk, but also by their unique tusks, as well as the largest size among all mammals on land. These peculiarities are by no means a hindrance, but, on the contrary, highly specialized adaptations. Once upon a time, many families of proboscis lived on earth, some of which had four tusks. Today there is only a family of elephants in a very limited living space.
Proboscis formations were at first barely noticeable and served the ancestors of proboscis living in swamps as a means of breathing under water. Later, the trunks, with their many muscles, developed into sensitive grasping organs, which made it possible to tear leaves from trees and grass in the steppes. Tusks during evolution reached 4 meters and had various shapes.
The African and Indian elephant are all that remain today of their many ancestors.
The head of an African elephant in profile looks sloping, in the form of a clearly defined angle; the spine rises from the head to the shoulder blades, then falls and rises again to the hips.
The Indian elephant has a pronounced brow ridge and a prominent bump on the top of its head with a cleft in the middle; the back is higher in the middle than in the area of the shoulder blades and hips.
Indian elephant
A powerful, massive animal, with a large broad-browed head, short neck, powerful body and columnar legs. The Indian elephant is smaller than its African relative. Its mass does not exceed 5 tons, and its height at the shoulders is 2.5-3 m. Unlike the African elephant, only males have tusks, but they are also 2-3 times shorter than the tusks of their African relative. The ears of the Indian elephant are smaller, extended downwards and pointed.
Wild Indian elephants live in India, Pakistan, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Malacca, Sumatra and Sri Lanka. Due to the expansion of plantations and crops, the number of wild elephants is declining. Animals are destroyed as pests Agriculture despite the ban. The Indian elephant, like the African elephant, is included in the IUCN Red List.
The Indian elephant lives in forest thickets, usually keeping in family groups of 10-20 animals, sometimes there are herds of up to 100 or more individuals. The leader of the herd is usually an old female.
Unlike its African relative, the Indian elephant is easily tamed and easy to train. In hard-to-reach swampy areas, elephants are used as riding animals. The gazebo can accommodate 4 people on the animal’s back, not counting the mahout sitting on the elephant’s neck. Elephants are capable of carrying up to 350 kg of cargo. Trained elephants not only carry logs at logging sites, but also stack them in a certain order and load and unload barges. Indian elephants are bought by zoos and circuses around the world.
Indian elephants are smaller in size than African savanna elephants, but their size is also impressive - old individuals (males) reach a weight of 5.4 tons with a height of 2.5 - 3.5 meters. Females are smaller than males, weighing on average 2.7 tons. The smallest subspecies is from Kalimantan (weight about 2 tons). For comparison, the African savannah elephant weighs from 4 to 7 tons. The body length of the Indian elephant is 5.5-6.4 m, the tail is 1.2-1.5 m. The Indian elephant is more massive than the African elephant. The legs are thick and relatively short; the structure of the soles of the feet is reminiscent of that of the African elephant - under the skin there is a special springy mass. There are five hooves on the front legs and four on the hind legs. The body is covered with thick, wrinkled skin; Skin color ranges from dark gray to brown. The skin thickness of the Indian elephant reaches 2.5 cm, but is very thin inside ears, around the mouth and anus. The skin is dry and has no sweat glands, so caring for it is an important part of an elephant's life. By taking mud baths, elephants protect themselves from insect bites, sunburn and fluid loss. Dust baths, bathing and scratching on trees also play a role in skin hygiene. Indian elephants often have depigmented pinkish areas on their bodies, giving them a spotted appearance. Newborn elephant calves are covered with brownish hair, which fades and thins with age, but even adult Indian elephants are more covered with coarse hair than African ones.
Albinos are very rare among elephants and serve to a certain extent as an object of cult in Siam. They are usually only a little lighter and have a few even lighter spots. The best specimens were pale reddish-brown in color with a pale yellow iris and sparse white hair on the back.
The wide forehead, depressed in the middle and strongly convex on the sides, has an almost vertical position; its tubercles represent the highest point of the body (in the African elephant - the shoulders). The most characteristic feature What distinguishes the Indian elephant from the African one is the relatively smaller size of the ears. The Indian elephant's ears never rise above the level of the neck. They are medium in size, irregularly quadrangular in shape, with a slightly elongated tip and an inward-turned upper edge. The tusks (elongated upper incisors) are significantly, 2-3 times, smaller than those of the African elephant, up to 1.6 m long, weighing up to 20-25 kg. Over the course of a year of growth, the tusk increases by an average of 17 cm. They develop only in males, rarely in females. Among Indian elephants there are males without tusks, which in India are called makhna. Such males are especially common in the northeastern part of the country; The population of Sri Lanka has the largest number of tuskless elephants (up to 95%)
Just as people are right-handed and left-handed, different elephants the right or left tusk is more often used. This is determined by the degree of wear of the tusk and its more rounded tip.
In addition to tusks, an elephant has 4 molars, which are replaced several times during their life as they wear out. When replaced, new teeth grow not under the old ones, but further on the jaw, gradually pushing the worn teeth forward. An Indian elephant's molars change 6 times during its life; the latter erupt at about 40 years of age. When the last teeth are worn down, the elephant loses the ability to eat normally and dies from starvation. As a rule, this occurs by age 70.
The elephant's trunk is a long process formed by the nose and upper lip fused together. A complex system of muscles and tendons gives it great flexibility and mobility, allowing the elephant to manipulate even small objects, and its volume allows it to draw up to 6 liters of water. The septum (septum), which divides the nasal cavity, also consists of numerous muscles. The elephant's trunk is devoid of bones and cartilage; a single piece of cartilage is found at its end, dividing the nostrils. Unlike the African elephant, the trunk ends in a single dorsal digitiform process.
The differences between the Indian elephant and the African elephant are a lighter color, medium-sized tusks, which are found only in males, small ears, a convex humpbacked back without a “saddle,” two bulges on the forehead and a single finger-like process at the end of the trunk. To the differences in internal structure There are also 19 pairs of ribs instead of 21, like in the African elephant, and structural features of the molars - transverse dentin plates in each tooth in the Indian elephant from 6 to 27, which is more than in the African elephant. There are 33 caudal vertebrae, instead of 26. The heart often has a double apex. Females can be distinguished from males by two mammary glands located on the chest. The elephant's brain is the largest among land animals and reaches a weight of 5 kg.
Lifestyle
The Indian elephant is more of a forest dweller than the African elephant. It prefers light tropical and subtropical deciduous forests with a dense undergrowth of shrubs and especially bamboo. Previously, in the cool season, elephants went out into the steppes, but now this has become possible only in nature reserves, since outside them the steppe has almost everywhere been turned into agricultural land. In summer, elephants climb quite high into the mountains along wooded slopes, meeting in the Himalayas near the border eternal snow, at an altitude of up to 3600 m. Elephants move quite easily through swampy areas and climb mountains.
Like other large mammals, elephants are more tolerant of cold than heat. They spend the hottest part of the day in the shade, continuously flapping their ears to cool the body and improve heat exchange. They love to take baths, pouring water over themselves and rolling around in dirt and dust; These precautions protect the elephants' skin from drying out, sunburn and insect bites. For their size, elephants are surprisingly agile and agile; they have an excellent sense of balance. If necessary, they check the reliability and hardness of the soil under their feet with blows from their trunk, but thanks to the structure of their feet, they are able to move even through marshy areas. An alarmed elephant can reach speeds of up to 48 km/h; while running, the elephant raises its tail, signaling to its relatives about danger. Elephants are also good swimmers. The elephant spends most of its time searching for food, but the elephant needs at least 4 hours a day to sleep. They do not lie on the ground; the exception is sick elephants and young animals.
Elephants are distinguished by an acute sense of smell, hearing and touch, but their vision is weak - they see poorly at a distance of more than 10 m, somewhat better in shaded places. Elephants' hearing, due to their huge ears that serve as amplifiers, is much superior to humans. The fact that elephants use infrasound to communicate over long distances was first noted by the Indian naturalist M. Krishnan. Elephants use numerous sounds, postures, and trunk gestures to communicate. Thus, a long trumpet call calls together the flock; a short, sharp, trumpet sound means fear; powerful blows on the ground with the trunk mean irritation and rage. Elephants have an extensive repertoire of calls, roars, grunts, squeals, etc., which they use to signal danger, stress, aggression and greet each other.
Nutrition and migration
Indian elephants are strict vegetarians and spend up to 20 hours a day foraging and feeding. Only during the hottest hours of the day do elephants seek shade to avoid overheating. The amount of food they eat daily ranges from 150 to 300 kg of various vegetation, or 6-8% of the elephant’s body weight. Elephants eat mainly grass; they also eat in some quantities the bark, roots and leaves of various plants, as well as flowers and fruits. Elephants tear off long grass, leaves and shoots with their flexible trunk; if the grass is short, they first loosen and dig up the soil with kicks. The bark from large branches is scraped off with molars, holding the branch with the trunk. Elephants willingly destroy agricultural crops, as a rule, rice, bananas and sugar cane, thus being the largest “pests” of agriculture.
The digestive system of the Indian elephant is quite simple; a capacious cylindrical stomach allows you to “store” food while symbiont bacteria ferment it in the intestines. The total length of the small and large intestines of the Indian elephant reaches 35 m. The digestion process takes about 24 hours; at the same time, only 44-45% of the food is actually absorbed. An elephant requires at least 70-90 (up to 200) liters of water per day, so they never move away from water sources. Like African elephants, they often dig in the ground in search of salt.
Due to the large amount of food they consume, elephants rarely feed in the same place for more than 2-3 days in a row. They are not territorial, but stick to their feeding areas, which reach 15 km 2 for males and 30 km 2 for gregarious females, increasing in size during the dry season. In the past, elephants made long seasonal migrations (a full migration cycle sometimes took up to 10 years), as well as movements between water sources, but human activity has made such movements impossible, limiting the elephants' stay to national parks and reserves.
Social structure and reproduction
Wild Indian elephants are social animals. Although adult males are often solitary, females always form family groups consisting of the matriarch (the most experienced female), her daughters, sisters and cubs, including immature males. Sometimes there is one old male next to the herd. In the 19th century elephant herds, as a rule, consisted of 30-50 individuals, although there were also herds of up to 100 or more heads. Currently, herds consist primarily of 2-10 females and their offspring. The herd may temporarily break up into smaller groups that maintain contact through characteristic vocalizations containing low-frequency components. Small groups (less than 3 adult females) have been found to be more stable than large ones. Several small herds can form the so-called. clan.
Males usually lead a solitary lifestyle; only young males who have not reached sexual maturity form temporary groups not associated with female groups. Adult males only approach the herd when one of the females is in estrus. At the same time, they arrange mating fights; Most of the time, however, males are quite tolerant of each other, and their feeding territories often overlap. By the age of 15-20 years, males usually reach sexual maturity, after which they annually enter a state known as must (Urdu for "intoxication"). This period is characterized by very high levels of testosterone and, as a consequence, aggressive behavior. During must, an odorous black secretion containing pheromones is released from a special skin gland located between the ear and eye. Males even produce copious amounts of urine. In this state they are very excited, dangerous and can even attack a person. The must lasts up to 60 days; all this time, the males practically stop feeding and wander around in search of females in heat. It is curious that in African elephants the must is less pronounced and first occurs at a more late age(from 25 years old).
Reproduction can occur at any time of the year, regardless of the season. Females are in estrus for only 2-4 days; A complete estrous cycle lasts about 4 months. Males join the herd after mating fights - as a result, only mature dominant males are allowed to breed. Fights sometimes lead to serious injuries to opponents and even death. The winning male drives away other males and remains with the female for about 3 weeks. In the absence of females, young male elephants often exhibit homosexual behavior.
Elephants have the longest pregnancy among mammals; it lasts from 18 to 21.5 months, although the fetus is fully developed by 19 months and then only increases in size. The female brings 1 (rarely 2) cub weighing about 90-100 kg and height (at the shoulders) about 1 m. It has tusks about 5 cm long, which fall out by the age of 2, when milk teeth are replaced by adult ones. During calving, the remaining females surround the woman in labor, forming a protective circle. Soon after giving birth, the female defecates so that the baby remembers the smell of her feces. The baby elephant stands on its feet 2 hours after birth and immediately begins to suckle milk; the female, using her trunk, “sprays” dust and earth onto it, drying the skin and masking its odor from large predators. After a few days, the cub is already able to follow the herd, holding onto the tail of its mother or older sister with its trunk. All lactating females in the herd are involved in feeding the baby elephant. Milk feeding continues until 18-24 months, although the baby elephant begins to eat plant foods after 6-7 months. Elephants also eat their mother's feces - with their help, not only undigested nutrients are transferred to them, but also symbiotic bacteria that help digest cellulose. Mothers continue to care for their offspring for several more years. Young elephants begin to separate from the family group by the age of 6-7 years and are finally expelled by 12-13 years.
The rate of growth, maturation and life expectancy of elephants is comparable to that of humans. Female Indian elephants reach sexual maturity at the age of 10-12 years, although they become capable of bearing offspring by the age of 16, and reach adult size only by the age of 20. Males become capable of reproducing by the age of 10-17 years, but competition with older males keeps them from reproducing. At this age, young males leave their native herd; females, as a rule, remain there for their entire lives. The onset of puberty, as well as estrus in mature females, may be delayed unfavorable conditions- periods of drought or severe overcrowding. Under the most favorable conditions, the female is able to bear offspring every 3-4 years. During her life, the female gives birth to an average of 4 litters. The period of greatest fertility is between 25 and 45 years.
Savannah African elephant
The African savannah elephant is characterized by a massive, heavy body; large head on a short neck; thick limbs; huge ears; upper incisors, which have turned into tusks; long muscular trunk. The body length reaches 6-7.5 m, the height at the shoulders (the highest point of the body) is 2.4-3.5 m. The average body weight in females is 2.8 tons, in males - 5 tons.
Sexual dimorphism is expressed not only in body weight, but also in the size of the tusks - in males they are much larger: their length is 2.4-2.5 m and weighs up to 60 kg. The largest known tusk reached 4.1 m with a weight of 148 kg, but the heaviest tusks were those of an elephant killed in 1898 near Kilimanjaro - 225 kg each. The tusks continue to grow throughout the elephant's life and serve as an indicator of its age. In addition to the tusks, the elephant has only 4-6 molars, which are replaced during life as they wear out. When replaced, new teeth grow not under the old ones, but further on the jaw, gradually pushing the old teeth forward. The molars are very large, weighing up to 3.7 kg with a length of 30 cm and a width of 10 cm. They change 3 times during the life of an elephant: at 15 years old, milk teeth are replaced by permanent teeth, the next change of teeth occurs at 30 and 40 years. The last teeth wear out by 65-70 years, after which the animal loses the ability to eat normally and dies from exhaustion.
In the African elephant, the trunk ends in 2 processes, dorsal and ventral. The usual length of the trunk is about 1.5 m, weight - 135 kg. Thanks to a complex system of muscles and tendons, the trunk has great mobility and strength. With its help, an elephant is able to both pick up a small object and lift a load weighing 250-275 kg. An elephant's trunk can hold 7.5 liters of water.
Huge ears (1.2-1.5 m long from base to top) are an evolutionary adaptation to a hot climate. Due to large area and developed blood supply, they help the elephant get rid of excess heat. Moving their ears, elephants fan themselves with them like a fan.
The pattern of veins on the surface of an elephant's ears is as individual as a person's fingerprints. It can be used to identify an elephant. Holes and tears on the edges of the ears also help in identification.
The skin, painted dark gray, reaches a thickness of 2-4 cm and is cut by a network of wrinkles. Young elephants are covered with dark hair, which fades with age; only at the end of the tail remains a long black tassel. Despite its thickness, elephant skin is sensitive to various injuries and insect bites and needs regular care. To protect it from the sun and insects, elephants take dust and mud baths, and also swim in ponds.
Tail length - 1-1.3 m; the number of caudal vertebrae is up to 26 (less than that of the Indian elephant). There are 5 hooves on the hind limbs, the number of hooves on the front limbs varies from 4 to 5. The peculiar structure of the soles (a special springy mass located under the skin) makes the gait of elephants almost silent. Thanks to it, elephants are able to move through swampy terrain: when the animal stretches its leg out of the quagmire, the sole takes the shape of a cone narrowing downwards; when stepping, the sole flattens under the weight of the body, increasing the area of support.
The African elephant is distinguished from the Asian elephant (Elephus maximus) by its larger size, darker color, “saddle” on the back, long tusks in elephants of both sexes, and two appendages at the end of the trunk. The Asian elephant is characterized by two protuberances on its forehead, while the African elephant has a smooth, less convex forehead and is cut back.
Historically, the African elephant's range extended throughout sub-Saharan Africa. In ancient times, it (or a separate species Loxodonta pharaonensis) was also found in North Africa, but became completely extinct in the 6th century. AD The range, which was almost continuous in the past, is now severely fragmented, especially in West Africa. The area of distribution of elephants decreased from 30 million km 2 to 5.3 million km 2 (2003). The African elephant has become completely extinct in Burundi, Gambia and Mauritania. The northern border of the range runs approximately 16.4° N; an isolated population persists further north in Mali. Despite their wide distribution area, elephants are mainly concentrated in national parks and reserves.
The smaller jungle elephant (Loxodonta africana cyclotis) has now been classified as a separate species, Loxodonta cyclotis, based on genomic studies and morphological and behavioral differences. Presumably, the two species of the genus Loxodonta diverged at least 2.5 million years ago, but they can interbreed and produce hybrids. In the International Red Book lists, both species of African elephants appear under the common name Loxodonta africana. The identification of a third species, the East African elephant, is in doubt.
They inhabit a wide variety of landscapes (with the exception of tropical forests and deserts) up to 3660 m above sea level; occasionally found up to 4570 m above sea level. The main requirements for habitat are: availability of food, shade and fresh water, from which elephants, however, can travel more than 80 km.
They are active both during the day and at night, but activity decreases during the hottest hours. In areas with high human activity, they switch to night look life. According to observations during the day, the African elephant spends 13% of its time resting, 74% on feeding, 11% on transitions and 2% on other activities. Peak feeding occurs in the morning.
Elephants have poor vision (at a distance of no more than 20 m), but they have an excellent sense of smell and hearing. Used for communication big number visual cues and touch, and a wide repertoire of vocalizations, including the well-known loud trumpet sounds. Research has shown that elephant calls contain infrasound components (14-35 Hz), making them audible over long distances (up to 10 km). In general, the cognitive and perceptual abilities of African elephants are less well studied than those of Asian elephants.
Despite their massive build, elephants are surprisingly agile. They swim well or move along the bottom of a reservoir with only their trunk above the water. They usually move at a speed of 2-6 km/h, but at a short time can reach speeds of up to 35-40 km/h. Elephants sleep standing up, gathered together in a dense group; only the cubs lie on their sides on the ground. Sleep lasts about 40 minutes.
Nutrition and migration
They feed on plant foods: leaves, branches, shoots, bark and roots of trees and shrubs; The proportions of feed depend on the habitat and time of year. During the wet season, most of the diet consists of herbaceous plants like papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) and cattail (Typha augustifolia). Old elephants feed mainly on swamp vegetation, which is less nutritious but softer; for this reason, dead elephants are often found in swamps (hence the legend about “elephant cemeteries” where they come to die). Elephants need daily watering and during the dry season they sometimes dig holes in the beds of dry rivers to collect water from aquifers. These watering holes are used not only by elephants, but also by other animals, including buffalos and rhinoceroses. One elephant consumes from 100 to 300 kg of food per day (5% own weight) and drinks 100-220 liters of water. Forest elephants, which feed on fruits, usually receive the necessary liquid with food, only going to water bodies in the dry season. African elephants also need salt, which is either found on licks or dug out of the ground.
In search of food and water, the African elephant can travel up to 500 km; On average, it covers a distance of about 12 km per day. In the past, the length of seasonal migrations of African elephants reached 300 km. Almost all elephant migrations followed a general pattern: at the beginning of the rainy season - from permanent bodies of water; in the dry season - back. Off-season, shorter migrations occurred between water and food sources. The animals followed their usual routes, leaving behind clearly visible trampled paths. Currently, migrations of African elephants are limited due to increased human activity, as well as the concentration of the bulk of the elephant population in protected areas.
Elephants lead a nomadic lifestyle. They travel in stable groups, which in the past reached 400 animals. The herd usually contains 9-12 animals belonging to the same family: an old female (matriarch), her offspring and older daughters with immature cubs. The female matriarch determines the direction of the nomadic movement; decides when the herd should feed, rest or bathe. She leads the herd until she is 50-60 years old, after which she is succeeded by the oldest female. Sometimes the family also includes one of the matriarch's sisters and her offspring. Males are usually expelled or leave the herd when they reach sexual maturity (9-15 years), after which they lead a solitary lifestyle, sometimes gathering in temporary herds. Males contact matriarchal families only during estrus of one of the females. When a family gets too big, it splits up. Herds may be temporarily united (Serengeti, Tanzania); observations have shown that some African elephant families are special relationship and spend significant time together. In general, elephants are sociable and do not avoid each other.
Research in Lake Manyara National Park (Tanzania) has shown that individual elephant families stick to certain areas rather than roaming throughout the park. While not territorial, elephants, however, stick to their feeding areas, which in favorable conditions vary from 15 to 50 km 2. The home ranges of single males are much larger, up to 1500 km 2 . The largest areas are recorded for elephants from Kaokoveld (Namibia), where annual precipitation is only 320 mm: 5800–8700 km 2 . Communication within the herd takes many forms, including vocalizations, touch, and a variety of postures. Collective behavior includes shared care of offspring and protection from predators. Family members are extremely attached to each other. Thus, when elephants from the same family unite after several days of separation, their meeting is accompanied by a welcoming ceremony, which sometimes lasts up to 10 minutes. At the same time, elephants demonstrate great excitement: they make loud cries, intertwine their trunks and cross their tusks, flapping their ears, urinating, etc. If the separation was short, the ceremony is reduced to ear flapping, trumpet "greetings" and trunk touching. There are cases when elephants took wounded relatives away from danger, supporting them on their sides. Elephants apparently have some idea of death - judging by their behavior, they, unlike other animals, recognize the corpses and skeletons of their relatives.
Fights in the herd are rare. Elephants demonstrate dominance and aggression by raising their heads and trunks, straightening their ears, digging their feet into the ground, shaking their heads and making demonstrative attacks on the enemy. Fights are usually limited to pushing and crossing tusks; only during fights for a female can males inflict serious and fatal wounds on each other with their tusks. A subordinate position is indicated by lowered head and ears.
Reproduction
Breeding is not associated with a specific season, but most calving occurs in the middle of the rainy season. During dry periods or in crowded habitats, sexual activity decreases and females do not ovulate. Males wander in search of females in estrus, staying with them for no more than a few weeks. Estrus in female elephants lasts about 48 hours, during which time she calls males with cries. Usually, before mating, the male and female are removed from the herd for some time.
Elephants have the longest pregnancy among mammals - 20-22 months. The female brings 1 developed cub; Twins are rare (only 1-2% of births). A newborn elephant calf weighs 90-120 kg with a shoulder height of about 1 m; Its trunk is short and there are no tusks. Childbirth occurs at a distance from the rest of the herd; Often a female giving birth is accompanied by a "midwife". 15-30 minutes after birth, the baby elephant rises to its feet and can follow its mother. Until the age of 4, he needs maternal care; he is also looked after by young immature females 2-11 years old, who thus prepare for the role of mother. Research in Amboseli (Kenya, 1992) showed that the more "nannies" who care for the offspring, the more cubs survive. Milk feeding lasts up to 1.5-5 years, although cubs begin to eat solid food at the age of 6 months and are able to completely switch to it by 2 years. Childbirth occurs once every 2.5-9 years; the baby elephant usually stays with its mother until the next birth. A study of elephants in Addo National Park (South Africa, 2000) showed that 95% of mature elephants under 49 years of age are pregnant or nursing offspring. Young females remain in their herd for life, males leave it upon reaching maturity, which usually occurs between 10 and 12 years. Elephants exhibit the greatest diversity in timing of sexual maturity among mammals: the minimum recorded age for females is 7 years. In unfavorable conditions, females reach sexual maturity at 18-19 or even 22 years. The peak of fertility also varies greatly depending on the habitat: from the age of 18-19 years (Luangwa River valley, Zambia) to 31-35 years (Northern Bunyoro, Uganda). Elephants remain fertile until they are 55-60 years old, giving birth to 1-9 cubs throughout their lives. In males, sexual maturity occurs at 10-12 years, but due to competition with older males, they begin to mate only at the age of 25-30 years, reaching a reproductive peak by 40-50 years. From the age of 25, males periodically enter a state of must (musth - “intoxication” in Urdu), characterized by increased aggressiveness and sexual activity. In general, elephants demonstrate greater reproductive flexibility: under unfavorable conditions (poor feeding conditions, food competition from other species, overcrowding), the time of onset of sexual maturity lengthens and the interval between births increases, and vice versa.
Lifespan
African elephants live to be 60-70 years old, continuing to grow slowly throughout their lives. In captivity, their age reached 80 years. The age of an elephant can be determined by its size (relative to the matriarch of the herd), the length of its tusks, and the wear of its teeth. Due to their size, adult elephants have no natural enemies; elephant calves under 2 years of age are attacked by lions, leopards, crocodiles and occasionally hyenas. There are known cases of clashes between elephants, especially males, and rhinoceroses. About half of young elephants die before age 15; then the mortality rate in the population drops to 3-3.5% annually and after 45 years it rises again. An elephant's lifespan is limited by the degree of wear of its molars; When the last teeth fall out, the elephant loses the ability to chew food normally and dies of starvation. Causes of death also include accidents, injuries and illnesses; elephants suffer from arthritis, tuberculosis and blood diseases (septicemia). Overall, humans are the only predator that has a major impact on elephant populations.
Role in the ecosystem
Due to their size, elephants have a significant impact on the environment. It is estimated that to feed one elephant for a year, vegetation is needed from an area of about 5 km2. When feeding, elephants often cut down trees to get to the top branches and leaves, strip the bark from the trunks, destroy grass and shrubs, and trample the soil, which leads to erosion and desertification of the landscape. In place of the tree and shrub vegetation they destroy, dry grass steppes appear, unsuitable for herbivores and the elephants themselves. At the same time, elephants help disperse plant seeds that pass through their digestive tract undigested, particularly the African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum). Many small animals find refuge in the pits dug by elephants in search of salt. In the past, the length of annual elephant migrations reached many hundreds of kilometers, and damaged vegetation had time to recover. However, at present, when elephant migrations are severely limited by the fragmentation of their range, human economic activity and the concentration of a significant part of elephants in national parks, their growing population can cause serious damage to vegetation.
African forest elephant
The average height of a forest elephant at the withers is 2.40 m. Thus, it is significantly smaller than elephants living in the savannah. Also, the forest elephant has thicker brown hair and rounded ears. As its name suggests, the African forest elephant lives in tropical forests Africa and plays an important role in the distribution of seeds of many plants.
Elephants (Elephantidae)- huge, strong, intelligent and sociable mammals. For many centuries, humanity has been amazed by their size - males of the African species can reach 7,500 kilograms. Elephants surprise with their long and flexible noses, large and flapping ears, and loose and wrinkled skin. They are among the most famous animals in the world. There are many stories and films about elephants - you've probably heard about Horton, King Babar and baby Dumbo.
Appearance
Ears
Elephants' ears, in addition to their intended purpose, also act as an air conditioner. In hot weather, elephants wave them, and thereby cool the blood in the ears, which, thanks to numerous blood vessels, cools the entire body of the animal.
Leather
The term "pachyderm" comes from the Greek word "pachydermos", meaning "thick skin". The thickness of the skin on some parts of the body can reach 2.54 cm. The skin does not fit tightly to the body, which creates the appearance of baggy pants. The benefit of thick skin is to retain moisture by increasing evaporation time and keeping the body cool longer. Despite the thickness of their skin, elephants are very sensitive to touch and sunburn. To protect themselves from blood-sucking insects and the sun, they often pour water on themselves and also roll in the mud.
Tusks and teeth
An elephant's tusks are located on the upper jaw and serve as the only incisors. They are used for protection, obtaining food, and also for lifting objects. Tusks are present at birth and are baby teeth that fall out after a year when they reach a length of 5 cm. Permanent tusks emerge from the lips after 2-3 years and grow throughout life. The tusks are made of ivory (dentine), with an outer layer of enamel, and the distinctive shape creates a special shine that distinguishes the tusks of elephants from other mammals such as warthogs, walruses and sperm whales. African elephants often die at the hands of poachers simply because of their tusks.
Elephants also have molars, located on both jaws on both sides. One molar can weigh about 2.3 kilograms and be the size of a brick. Each elephant changes up to 6 sets of teeth during its life. New teeth do not grow vertically, as in most mammals, but climb from behind, while old and worn ones are pushed forward. In old age, elephants' molars are sensitive and worn down, so they prefer to eat softer food. In this case, swamps are ideal places where soft vegetation grows. In such areas you can often find old individuals that remain there until their death. This fact has led some people to believe that elephants go to special places to die.
Trunk
The elephant's trunk simultaneously acts as its upper lip and nose. There are 8 large muscles on each side of the trunk, and along its entire length there are about 150,000 muscle bundles (muscle lobes). This unique appendage lacks bone and cartilage. He is so strong that he can pull down a tree trunk and so agile that he can pick up only one straw. Elephants use their trunks like we use our hands: grasping, holding, lifting, touching, pulling, pushing and throwing.
The trunk also serves as the nose. It has two nostrils to suck air through the long nasal passages into the lungs. Elephants use their trunk to drink, but the water does not go all the way to the nose like a straw, instead, it lingers in the trunk and then the elephant lifts its head and pours the water into its mouth.
Habitat
Asian elephants live in Nepal, India and parts of Southeast Asia. The main habitat is low-growing and tropical forests. During dry months they are often found near river banks.
African bush elephants (savanna elephants) live in the eastern, central and southern parts of Africa, preferring lowland and mountain forests, floodplains, all types wooded area and savannas. Forest elephants are found in the Congo Basin and western Africa, in moist, semi-deciduous tropical forests.
The largest elephant
The record for the largest elephant was held by an adult male African elephant. He weighed about 12,240 kilograms and stood 3.96 meters tall at the shoulders. Most animals do not grow to this size, but African savannah elephants are much larger in size than Asian ones.
Big appetite
The elephant's diet includes all types of vegetation, from grass and fruit to leaves and bark. Every day these huge animals consume 75-50 kilograms of food, which is 4-6% of their body weight. On average, they spend up to 16 hours a day eating. Savannah elephants are herbivores and feed on grass, including sedges, flowering plants, and leaves of bushes. Forest elephants prefer leaves, fruits, seeds, twigs and bark. Asian elephants have a mixed diet, during dry periods and after heavy rains They eat bushes and small trees, and after the first part of the rainy season they can eat grass. Also, Asian elephants can eat different types of plants depending on the season, branches and bark.
Life in the herd
Elephants live in cramped conditions social groups, which are called herds, usually consist of females and their offspring. The main leader of the herd is the most experienced and mature female, so matriarchy reigns in the elephant family. The leader of the herd remembers how to find the way to food and water, while avoiding predators, and knows best places for shelter. Also, the main female has the right to teach younger individuals the rules of behavior in society. In some cases, the group may consist of one of the main leader's sisters and her offspring. When the number of individuals in a group becomes large, a new herd is formed, and they can maintain free communication with other associations.
Adult males do not usually live in a herd. After gaining independence from their mother, males leave the herd and live alone or with other bachelors. Males can visit a herd of females only for a short time, for reproduction. They do not participate in raising their offspring.
Etiquette is an important component of elephant society. The trunk may be extended to another elephant as a greeting, to show affection, to hug, during wrestling, and to check reproductive status.
Offspring
At birth, a baby elephant is about a meter tall and weighs 55-120 kg. As a rule, babies are born with hair, a short trunk and are directly dependent on the mother and other members of the herd. They do not need a trunk, since milk from the mother goes into the mouth. Baby elephants try to stay as close as possible to their mother or another nursing female. During the first year of life, on average, they gain 1-1.3 kilograms of weight per day. If the baby is in distress, other members of the herd often come to his aid.
Despite prolonged gestation and protection, elephant calves need to gradually move up the social levels of the herd and establish their position in it. The cubs spend their days learning to walk on four legs in one direction, trying to cope with huge ears and mastering the work of their trunks. At first they are very clumsy, but all the time they learn to control their body. Upon reaching 2-3 years of age, elephant calves stop feeding on their mother's milk.
Enemies
What animals pose a threat to elephants? Not many! Baby elephants can become potential food for hyenas, lions, leopards or crocodiles, but as long as they are close to their mother, there is no need to worry. If the elephant senses approaching danger, it emits loud noise(alarm) to warn others. To combat a potential predator, the herd forms a protective ring of adults, with the babies in the middle. For an adult elephant, the main enemy is a poacher with a rifle.
Sounds
Elephants make many different sounds, but human ears cannot detect some of them because they are low-frequency. Elephants use these sounds to communicate with each other over long distances. Have you ever had your stomach growl at the most inopportune moment? For the elephant community, this is a welcome sound that signals to other elephants that “everything is okay.”
Kinds
There are two kinds of elephants: African and Asian. The African genus is divided into two species: the savannah elephant and the forest elephant, while the Asian or Indian elephant is the only surviving species of its genus. Discussions are still ongoing about how many elephants there actually are and what types of elephants there are. More information about African and Asian elephants is written below.
African elephant
Security status: Vulnerable.
African elephants are the world's largest land animals. Their trunk is an extension of the upper lip and nose and is used for communication with other individuals, handling objects and for eating. African elephants, unlike Asian ones, have two branches at the end of their trunk. Tusks, which grow throughout life, are observed in both males and females, and are used in fighting, for digging, and also for food. Another notable feature of African elephants is their huge ears, which help cool their huge bodies.
Today there are two types of African elephants:
Savannah or bush elephant (Loxodonta africana);
forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis).
Savannah view bigger size than the forest one and has tusks curved outward. At the same time, the forest elephant is darker in color with straight, downward-pointing tusks. There are also differences in the size and shape of the skull and skeleton.
Social structure
The social structure of elephants is organized around a herd consisting of related females and their offspring. In the savanna elephant, each family unit includes about 10 individuals, although there are also associations of these family units - “clans”, which can number 70 individuals. Forest elephants live in small family groups. Herds can form temporary aggregations of elephants, numbering around 1,000 individuals, mainly in East Africa. These associations arise during periods of drought, due to human intervention or any other change that worsens the standard pattern of existence. When threatened, elephants create a ring around the young and the matriarch (the main female), which can be attacked. Young elephants stay with their mother for many years and also receive care from other females in the herd.
Life cycle
As a rule, a female gives birth to one cub, once every 2.5-9 years, at the beginning of the rainy season. Pregnancy lasts 22 months. The Cubs are on breastfeeding 6-18 months, although there are cases of feeding up to 6 years. Males leave the female after mating and typically form alliances with other males. The lifespan of African elephants can be 70 years. The fertile age of females begins at 25 years and lasts up to 45 years. Males need to reach 20 years of age to successfully compete for a female with other males.
Diet
African elephants prefer to eat leaves, branches of bushes and trees, but can eat grass, fruits and bark.
Historical habitat and population size
The African elephant's habitat ranged across most of Africa, from the coast Mediterranean Sea to the south of the continent. Scientists believe that between the 1930s and 1940s, there were more than 3-5 million African elephants. However, as a result of intensive hunting for trophies and tusks, the species' population began to decline significantly from the 1950s. It is estimated that 100,000 individuals were killed in the 1980s, and in some regions, up to 80% of elephants died. In Kenya, the population fell by 85% between 1973 and 1989.
Current population size and distribution
The forest species is distributed in the tropical forest zone of western and central Africa, where relatively large areas of dense forest are present. The savannah elephant lives in eastern and southern Africa. Most of the species is concentrated in Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia and South Africa.
A significant number of elephants are deprived of well-protected areas - less than 20% are protected. In most countries West Africa The population is counted only in hundreds or tens of individuals living in small groups in an isolated forest. Unlike the west of the continent, the elephant population in the south is larger and is gradually increasing - more than 300,000 elephants now wander between subregions.
Threats
Elephants continue to roam throughout Africa. But these magnificent animals are endangered due to poaching and habitat loss. Elephant populations across Africa are in varying states, some are in great danger of extinction, while others are safe. South Africa has become the main support for elephants; on its territory, the number of individuals is gradually increasing.
Significant elephant populations are separated from well-protected areas that support only a small number of animals. The African elephant is threatened by illegal hunting for meat and ivory, loss of habitat, and conflicts with humans. Most countries do not have sufficient capacity to protect the African elephant. Without conservation action in some parts of Africa within 50 years, elephants could become extinct.
In the early 1970s, the demand for ivory increased and the amount of ivory exported from Africa reached critical levels. Most of the goods leaving Africa were considered illegal, with about 80% being raw meat from slaughtered elephants. This illegal trade has been a driving factor in the decline of the African elephant population from 3-5 million to its current level.
In 1989, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora banned international trade in ivory to combat massive illegal trade. After the ban took effect, some of the major ivory markets were eliminated in 1990. As a result, illegal killings have fallen sharply in some African countries, especially in places where elephants were not adequately protected. This fact allowed the African elephant population to recover.
However, in countries where conservation authorities receive insufficient funding to combat poaching, the problem becomes significant. Uncontrolled domestic ivory markets in a number of countries continue to grow. In addition, increasing land use pressure on the elephant population, budget cuts for conservation agencies, and ongoing poaching for elephant bones and meat have kept the illegal killing of elephants prevalent in some regions.
The uneven distribution of the population has created controversy over the conservation of the African elephant. Some people, mainly in southern countries where elephant numbers are increasing, believe that legal enforcement and control of the ivory trade could bring significant economic benefits without jeopardizing the conservation of the species. Others oppose it because corruption and lack of law enforcement will make it impossible to control smart trade. Therefore, the illegal ivory trade remains real threat for the African elephant, and conservation is considered a priority.
As the elephant's habitat extends beyond protected areas, rapid human population growth and expansion of agricultural land are increasingly reducing elephant habitat. In this regard, a conflict arises between man and elephant. Farm boundaries do not allow elephants to pass through migration corridors. The consequence is the destruction or damage of crops and small villages. The inevitable loss occurs on both sides, since people lose their means of existence because of elephants, and elephants lose their habitats, for which they often lose their lives. Human populations continue to grow throughout elephant territory, threatening habitat loss as a major threat.
The more we learn about elephants, the greater the need for their conservation. The current generation needs to be inspired to help preserve these beautiful wildlife for our future generations.
Asian elephant
Conservation status: Endangered species.
Listed in the Red Book International Union nature conservation
Worshiped for centuries, the sacred Asian elephant is still used for ceremonial and religious purposes. It is revered not only for its role in Asian culture, but also for being one of the key species in the Asian rainforest. Although there are thousands of domesticated elephant populations in Southeast Asia, this magnificent animal is in danger of extinction in the world. wildlife, associated with the rapidly growing human population, displacing elephants from their usual habitat.
Wild elephant populations are small and because ancient migration routes are cut off by human settlements, they are unable to reunite with other elephant groups. Clashes between elephants and humans often result in death on both sides. Today, widespread problems are: illegal poaching, trade in ivory, meat and skins.
Description
The Asian elephant is considered the largest land mammals on the territory of Asia. It has relatively small ears, a single finger-like process at the end of the trunk, while the African elephant has two processes. U significant amount Male Asian elephants lack tusks, and the percentage of males with tusks varies by region - about 5% in Sri Lanka and up to 90% in southern India. Asian elephants constantly keep their ears moving to cool their bodies. They have well-developed hearing, vision, smell, and are also excellent swimmers. Dimensions: body length is 550-640 cm, height at the shoulders is 250-300 cm, weight is about 5000 kg. Color: Varies from dark gray to brown, with splashes of pink on the forehead, ears, chest and base of the trunk.
Social structure
Asian elephants have a close social structure. Females unite in groups of 6-7 related individuals, headed by “matriarch” females. As with African elephants, some groups may join others to form large herds that are relatively short-lived.
Life cycle
Observers report that Asian elephant calves can stand on their feet immediately after birth and begin feeding on grass and leaves within a few months. Babies remain under the care of their mother for several years, and begin to move independently after 4 years. At the age of 17, elephants reach their final size. Both sexes become sexually mature at the age of 9 years, but males usually do not become sexually active until 14-15 years of age, and even at this age they are not capable of social dominance, which is a necessary component of successful reproductive activity.
Reproduction
In favorable living conditions, a female can give birth to cubs every 2.5-4 years, otherwise this happens every 5-8 years.
Diet
Elephants spend more than two-thirds of the day feeding on grass, tree bark, roots, leaves and small stems. Crops such as bananas, rice and sugarcane are the preferred foods. Asian elephants need to drink at least once a day, so they are always near sources of fresh water.
Population and distribution
Their original range ranged from modern-day Iraq and Syria to China's Yellow River, the Yellow River, but they are now found only from India to Vietnam, with a tiny population settled in southwest China's Yunnan province. It is estimated that more than 100,000 Asian elephants existed in the early 20th century. And over the past 60-75 years, the population has decreased by at least 50%.
Threats
The ever-growing human population of tropical Asia has encroached on the elephants' dense but shrinking forest habitat. About 20% of the world's population lives in or near the range of the Asian elephant. Competition for living space has led to significant loss of forest cover, as well as a decline in the Asian elephant population, estimated at 25,600 to 32,750 in the wild.
Asian elephant populations are increasingly fragmented, resulting in a significantly reduced chance of survival as, in the face of a growing human population, development projects are created based on the construction of dams, roads, mines, industrial complexes, settlements. Most national parks and sanctuaries where elephants live are too small to accommodate all viable populations. Conversion of forest land to agricultural land leads to serious human-elephant conflicts. Elephants kill up to 300 people in India every year.
Among Asian elephants, only males have tusks and are therefore targeted for poaching. The killing of elephants for ivory and meat remains a serious problem in many countries, especially in southern India (where 90% of elephants are potential victims) and in northeastern India, where some people eat elephant meat. From 1995 to 1996, covert poaching of Asian elephant bones and meat increased. Illegal trade across the Thailand-Myanmar border in live elephants, their bones, and skins has also become a major conservation problem. In 1997, seven years after the ivory trade was banned, illegal sales remained in the territory Far East, with South Korea, China and Taiwan remaining the main markets. However, most of this illegal production came from Africa rather than Asian elephants.
Confinement of wild elephants for domestic confinement has become a threat to wild populations, whose numbers have decreased significantly. The governments of India, Vietnam and Myanmar have banned capture in order to preserve wild herds, but in Myanmar, elephants are captured every year for use in the timber industry or illegal trade. Unfortunately, crude fishing methods have led to high mortality rates. Efforts are being made not only to improve safety, but also to breed elephants in captivity. Given that almost 30% of elephants live in captivity, it is necessary to increase their numbers by reintroducing individuals into the wild.
Elephant facts
- Lifespan: about 30 years in the wild and about 50 years in captivity.
- Pregnancy: 20 to 22 months.
- Number of cubs at birth: 1.
- Sexual maturity is 13-20 years.
- Size: Females average 2.4 meters in height to the shoulders, and males - 3-3.2 meters.
- Weight: The female African elephant weighs up to 3600 kg, and the male - 6800 kg. A female Asian elephant weighs on average 2,720 kg, while a male weighs 5,400 kg.
- Birth weight: 55-120 kg.
- Height at birth: 66-107 centimeters to the shoulders.
- An elephant's skin is so sensitive that the animal can feel the touch of a fly.
- The low, loud calls of one elephant can be heard by others up to 8 kilometers away.
- Elephants suffer from hunting for their tusks, which are made of dentin, just like our teeth.
- In the Andaman Islands (India), elephants swim in the sea between the islands.
- An elephant's skull weighs about 52 kilograms.
- Elephants mainly use one of their tusks. Therefore, often one is more worn than the other.
- The modern elephant is the only mammal that can remain significantly below the surface of the water, using its trunk as a breathing tube.
- Frequent bathing and dousing with water, as well as mud baths, are an important part of skin care.
- Unlike other mammals, elephants grow throughout their lives.
- Are elephants afraid of mice? Most likely, they are irritated by small animals, so they try to scare or crush them.
- Elephants can remember good and bad things. Especially in zoos, they can remember people who did something good for them or vice versa.
- Elephants sleep in a lying position for several hours, and, as zoo staff have noted, they can even snore.
- The African elephant, weighing about 6,300 kilograms, is capable of carrying up to 9,000 kilograms.
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