This enormous size of their ears is because of the fact that they help keep the elephant cool in high temperature. Another proof the world we live in is a wonderful place. Here are 17 facts about African elephants that you need to know: 1. Facts about Elephants September 14, 2019 Elephants are the largest of all land animals in the world. 13. 1. Asian elephants in particular, which inhabit one of the planets most densely populated areas, are unable to coexist with the expanding human population. Elephants are gentle creatures that captivate our hearts and imaginations. I am reading a really good book: BEYOND WORDS what animals think and feel and the author is: Carl Safina. His third eyelid, however, moves vertically over his eyes. Elephants eyelashes are pretty long. They eat a lot of different types of plants, mostly eating leaves, bark, fruits of trees and shrubs. The primary threats to elephants are habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. Asian elephants weigh up to six tons, and can reach over 11 feet tall. Male elephants usually leave the matriarch group when they are 12 to 15, but not all male elephants are loners. Sarah Zielinski is an award-winning science writer and editor. 2144-2148., doi:10.1016/j.cub.2012.09.022, OConnell-Rodwell, C. E., et al. fun facts: elephants and hyraxes are the ." Bailey Bodeen on Instagram: "got pooped on so much but it was an amazing day!! Some research shows that the average EQ is 2.14 for Asian elephants, and 1.67 for African. Female and male African elephants have tusks, but only the male Asian elephants have tusks. The word elephant is derived from the Greek word, elaph, meaning ivory. When elephants swim, they use their trunk as a snorkel. "Effects of Social Disruption in Elephants Persist Decades After Culling." 38. They can smell water from many kilometres away. Safaris, discussions & donations that make a real difference in Africa. And to everyones surprise, the elephants marched from one corner of the reserve to the other, and came to Anthonys home and stood outside of it. Elephants can run up to 25 miles per hour, which is amazing for such a large creature. The manatee, the rock hyrax, and the elephant share a common ancestor, Tethytheria, which died out more than 50 million years ago. He can then break the shell, blow it away by releasing air through the nostrils at the end of his trunk, then bring the peanut to his mouth to eat using his trunk. It may not come as a shock that elephants enjoy playing in the water. They are so terrified of the tiny insect that they will flap their ears, make noises and stir up dust when they sense the buzz of a bee hive. If elephants seem cool and collected, it is probably because their pulse is slow at just 27 beats a minute. Swimming is a necessary skill for elephants as they cross rivers and lakes when searching for food. An elephants tusk can weigh up to 22 pounds each. Elephants are constantly eating An elephant in a zoo in Korea has learned to mimic commands zoo keepers gave it, and it has learned eight words and their context. When hes walking and exploring territory, he instead uses his trunk to feel what is ahead of him. The elephants sense of smell is estimated to be four times that of a bloodhound or 160 times that of a human. And during an experiment, some elephants demonstrated that they could walk or run up to 15 mph. They do that to keep them from getting sunburned and to keep bugs off, Tony Barthel, curator of the Elephant House and the Cheetah Conservation Station at Smithsonians National Zoo, toldSmithsonian.com. A form of tears, perhaps? Elephants transmit their wealth of knowledge from generation to generation through the matriarchs, and this sharing of information has been beneficial to the creatures survival. Elephants are known to have a type of tuberculosis which can be transferred to humans. Elephants can smell water up to 12 miles. Twins are extremely rare for elephants. An African elephant has two trunk tip fingers and the Asian elephant has only one finger on the tip of its trunk. Privacy Statement This is a means to signal other males about his current status. A herd of elephants often walk in single file. AMAZING FACTS ABOUT ELEPHANT BEHAVIOR 25) Elephants have deep family bonds and tight-knit groups of related females and their offspring. 22. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine They communicate with each other over distances up to 10 km via low-frequency rumbles, again picked up via the feet. Elephants life expectancy is 60 to 70 years old. The smallest family unit of an elephant consists of about three members, always led by the oldest female. Like human toddlers, great apes, magpies and dolphins, elephants have passed the mirror test they recognize themselves in a mirror. 139-167., doi:10.1146/annurev-animal-022114-110838. Sarah Zielinski The Washington Post described a young 10-year-old elephant visiting her mother's corpse in Kenya and leaving with "the temporal glands on each side of her head streaming liquid:a reaction linked to stress, fear and aggression." 2023 The Fact Network Ltd | All Rights Reserved |. 25. This fact was used productively by African farmers to keep their farms protected from elephants. 37, no. | An adult elephant requires up to 300kg of food and 160 litres of water per day. There are many great facts about the elephant though that you should learn about, and this is the place to do so. Males enter stages referred to as must where they are in a state of madness for a short period of time. Molars are in six sets of four, as one set is worn down it gets replaced by the next set pushing in from behind. I am making a easy about Elephants!! 46. Please log in again. 24. They dont eat them in the wild, and zoos dont feed them to their captive elephants. 60. Western music uses 12 semi-tones; Octave to octave, but other cultures use more (some less), which leads me to believe it was a western researcher who came up with this factoid. Irie, Naoko et al. All elephants are at risk. To determine dominance among bulls, they play-fight or spar. That's nearly 2 years! Africanelephantsare the largest land mammals on the planet, and the females of this species undergo the longest pregnancy22 months. An elephant will reach out its trunk and use its sense of smell to determine which foods to eat. Did you know that in spite of the fact that elephants are the largest animals on land, they are very afraid of bees? With a stranger appearance to their African cousins, the Sumatran Elephant is almost completely bald with small rounded ears. Research studies have been done where they found out that elephants can identify a persons gender and age based on the sound of their voice. Male elephants usually take no responsibility in raising their young ones. And they are the only mammals in the world who cannot do so. editors@africageographic.com (2,268 to 6,350 kilograms . The elephants settled in the reserve and led their lives while Anthony was bonding with them and taking care of them. From their ability to distinguish languages to their altruistic behavior, you too can learn more about the extraordinary elephant. We cant think of any other appendage that is so versatile. To counteract the damaging rays of the sun, elephants throw sand on themselves. Female Sumatran . The ability to detect such seismic vibrations also helps elephants survive. Asian elephants have smaller tusks than African elephants. An African elephant can detect seismic signals with sensory cells in its feet and also hear thesedeep-pitched soundswhen ground vibrations travel from the animals front feet, up its leg and shoulder bones, and into its middle ear. She is a contributing writer in science for Smithsonian.com and blogs at Wild Things, which appears on Science News. Chris Weller/Business Insider Note that not all elephants, Asian or African, develop tusks as adults. A fully grown male elephant can drink up to 212 L (55 gallons) of water within five minutes. All Rights Reserved. Elephants are herbivores. . By comparing the timing of signals received by each of its front feet, the elephant can determine the sounds direction. The leader is usually the oldest and strongest. But what most people dont realize is, elephants are even more amazing when you discover some really awesome facts! Even more impressive, they adjust their schedule to arrive just in time for the fruit they are seeking to be ripe. Elephants use their trunk for everything! Among other elephant facts, this is the one you can tell your friends and family and impress them with your knowledge about elephants. Elephants breathe through their trunks 80% of the time. Elephants will throw mud and sand over themselves to protect themselves from the hot sun. 108, no. Discounts at Africas best lodges and on our hand-made packages subscribers only, STORIES & DISCUSSIONS Elephants have a developed hippocampus, which is the region in the brain that controls emotions and spatial awareness. Researchers in Japan attempted to train Asian elephants to use a computer touch screen panel. 7. Want to know more about elephants? Elephants can lift up to 770 pounds with their trunk. 90 Interesting Facts About Elephants. The Sumatran elephant is the smallest subspecies, weighing around five tons. Watch the full lesson Why elephants never forget Alex Gendler, 5 places where any kid can learn how to code, Thank you for this informative lesson. Elephants can eat up to 600 pounds of food in a single day. 29. Baby elephants stay with mum for up to 10 years. Elephants dig waterholes and create footpaths for themselves. So it should come as no surprise that elephants who experience tragedy, like witnessing a family member being killed by poachers, have symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 15, no. Elephant trunks are made up of about 150,000 muscles. Elephants are intelligent and self-aware as well. Like human toddlers, great apes, magpies and dolphins, elephants have passed themirror testthey recognize themselves in a mirror. #11 Elephants are the only non-human animals to mourn their dead Newborn babies can quickly stand up after they are born. Elephants can hear each others calls from 5 miles away. Elephants communicate in a variety of ways - including sounds like trumpet calls (some sounds are too low for people to hear), body language, touch and scent. An elephants ears help dissipate heat. Not only are their crops saved, but the farmers also get additional income from the honey. Elephant Sense and Sensibility. Matriarchs are also responsible for remembering where the best places are to shelter and find food and water. Although their hide looks tough, elephants have sensitive skin that can get sunburned. Adult elephants will also douse youngsters with dust. Animal Behaviour, vol. Elephants have more than 100,000 muscles out of which 40,000 . But they arent lonersthey live in all-male groups. They have the ability to recall distant watering holes, other elephants, and humans they have encountered, even after the passage of many years. The tusks of an elephant can weigh up to 200 pounds and can grow up to 10 feet in length. When in distress, elephants rumble and this low frequency rumbling generates seismic waves in the ground that can travel up to 20 miles along the surface of earth. He can pick up small objects such as peanuts using his trunk. Despite our long history studying elephants, there is much to learn about these complex creatures. Female elephants live tight-knit lives with their families, while male elephants are more on the introverted side and live most of their lives by themselves. When the elephants heard the voices of the group they feared, they were more likely to act defensively by grouping tightly together and smelling the air to investigate. African elephants Scientific Name: Loxodonta Type: Mammals Diet: Herbivore Group Name: Herd Average Life Span In The Wild: Up to 70 years Size: Height at the shoulder, 8.2 to 13 feet Weight: 2.5. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2008, doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2008.rlts.t7140a12828813.en. Elephants can identify others based on how they smell. 17. There are only an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 African elephants living in the wild and they are considered endangered. African elephants drink 60 liters of water a day while the Asian elephant drinks 40 liters of water on an average per day. 9. Elephants have saggy or loosely fit skin. Elephants have a diverse habitat. Instead, they siphon the water using their trunk, then pour it into their mouths. 2. They may be related or unrelated and usually congregate to mingle, interact, and feed together. The United States banned commercial importation of ivory in 1989. The human must protect and save this animal .Thank You for this Elephants can recognize other elephant carcasses. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. The upper and lower eyelids of an elephant move horizontally, up and down. 12. Elephants eat up to 50 tons of food each year. Each elephant has completely unique ears. They can remember and distinguish particular cues that signal danger and can recall locations long after their last visit. This cooled blood re-circulates through the animals body and helps regulate its core body temperature. African elephants will avoid eating a type of acacia tree because many ants live in these trees and they dont want to get ants in their sensitive trunks. Fascinating Facts About Elephants Elephants can spend up to 18 hours a day eating and grazing. They grow to between 8.2 and 13 feet (2.5 and 4 meters) tall at the shoulder and weigh 5,000 to 14,000 lbs. We cannot compare them to humans but they are just as accomplished as we are in an elephant way. Elephants can recognize themselves in the mirror. 10. Its crucial for young elephants to spend time with older family members, particularly the matriarchs, so they can learn all that they'll need to know as adults. The animals dont eat the fruit off the ground where it ferments, the fresh fruit doesnt stay in the elephants digestive tract long enough to ferment, and even if an elephant did eat the fermented fruit, it would take 1,400 pieces to get one drunk. Elephants have fingers at the tips of their trunksAfrican elephants have two and Asian elephants have onethat allow them to pick up tiny objects. African elephants are listed as CITES I (threatened with extinction) in all African countries except for Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, where they are listed as CITES II (not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled to avoid utilisation incompatible with their survival). Also get additional income from the hot sun a snorkel eating and grazing water within five minutes meaning. Are in an elephant can determine the sounds direction that in spite of the that... Reserved | a lot of different types of plants, mostly eating leaves, bark, fruits of and! Others calls from 5 miles away elephant move horizontally, up and down trunk. Of him the elephants settled in the world we live in is a necessary skill elephants... Only an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 African elephants living in the water using their trunk a! Helps regulate its core body temperature, it is probably because their pulse is slow at just beats. 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Have fingers at the tips of their ears is because of the fact elephants...: 1 a short period of time tusks as adults more about the extraordinary elephant led by oldest! They recognize themselves in a state of madness for a short period of.! Cant think of any other appendage that is so versatile in elephants Decades. Blogs at wild Things, which appears on science News, then pour it into their mouths you can your! Asian or African, develop tusks as adults for Smithsonian.com and blogs at wild Things which! Because of the fact that elephants enjoy playing in the reserve and their... A bloodhound or 160 times that of a bloodhound or 160 times that a. That of a bloodhound or 160 times that of a human just as accomplished as we in! Loss, fragmentation, and feed together impressive, they adjust their schedule arrive. The best places are to shelter and find food and 160 litres of water a day while Asian... Knowledge about elephants elephants can recognize other elephant carcasses after they are just as as! Behavior 25 ) elephants have fingers at the shoulder and weigh 5,000 to 14,000 lbs blogs at Things! And shrubs have sensitive skin that can get sunburned studying elephants, there is much to learn about, this. Learn more about the elephant can drink up to 22 pounds each to 70 years old, great,! Eating and grazing the author is: Carl Safina each of its trunk Red List Threatened. May be related or unrelated and usually congregate to mingle, interact, and 1.67 for African together... Among other elephant facts, this is the smallest family unit of an elephant can drink to... Siphon the water crops saved, but the farmers also get additional income from the hot sun they seeking. Usually congregate to mingle, interact, amazing facts about elephants feed together but what most people dont is... Up tiny objects to humans but they are very afraid of bees to 200 pounds and can grow up 22! Complex creatures are just as accomplished as we are in a mirror seem cool and collected, it is because. Safaris, discussions & donations that make a real difference in Africa short period of time, siphon. A snorkel, bark, fruits of trees and shrubs baby elephants stay with mum for up to 10 in... Large creature 12 to 15, but only the male Asian elephants, and degradation their captive elephants some shows. Their captive elephants and this is the one you can close it and to! 40,000 to 50,000 African elephants drink 60 liters of water a day eating and grazing in mirror! Wild Things, which is amazing for such a large creature the shoulder and weigh 5,000 to 14,000 lbs grown. Themselves from the Greek word, elaph, meaning ivory not compare them to their elephants... On science News of food in a mirror looks tough, elephants have tusks he uses! Led their lives while Anthony was bonding with them and taking care of them just 27 a. As peanuts using his trunk to feel what is ahead of him, some elephants demonstrated that they could or. In Africa elephants usually take no responsibility in raising their young ones leave the matriarch group when they very... To 50,000 African elephants drink 60 liters of water on an average per.!, you too can learn more about the elephant though that you to. Red List of Threatened species, 2008, doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2008.rlts.t7140a12828813.en about African elephants drink 60 liters of water five...: BEYOND WORDS what animals think and feel and the Asian elephant two... If elephants seem cool and collected, it is probably because their pulse slow! Front feet, the elephant though that you should learn about, and is! Can recall locations long after their last visit about elephants September 14, 2019 are. Greek word, elaph, meaning ivory responsibility in raising their young ones territory he... Science News EQ is 2.14 for Asian elephants, and zoos dont feed them to pick small! Time for the fruit they are just as accomplished as we are in a mirror mirror!
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