Indian elephant animal (lat. Elephas maximus). Elephants - description, species, range, nutrition, behavior, reproduction and facts Indian elephant begins to breed

Elephants are the largest land mammals on our planet. by the most famous species The elephant families are African and Asian (Indian) elephants. They live on different continents, but lead almost the same lifestyle.

Where do elephants live?

habitats African elephant

Once upon a time African Elephants inhabited almost the entire African continent. The habitat of elephants was stretched from north to south of the entire mainland. As early as the 6th century AD, the northern population of elephants was completely exterminated.

In the 21st century, the African elephant population has survived in the southern, western, eastern and central countries of Africa, namely: Namibia, Tanzania, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Kenya, South Africa, Mali, Botswana, Ethiopia, Chad, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Zambia, Uganda, Botswana, Niger, Guinea, Ghana, Rwanda, Liberia, Cameroon, Benin, Sierra Leone, Togo, Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic Congo, Sudan, Eritrea, Gabon, Swaziland, CAR, Equatorial Guinea. Most of the livestock in these countries lives in the territories of nature reserves and national parks. Leaving the reserves, elephants often become the prey of poachers.

African elephants live in different landscapes, avoiding only deserts and tropical forests. The main priorities for choosing places to live for elephants are the following criteria: the availability of food resources, water and shade.

Read about the diet of elephants in the article.

Where does the Indian elephant live?

Indian The elephant was distributed throughout South Asia. In the wild, he lived along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers up to the Malay Peninsula. Some herds were distributed even near the Himalayas and along the Yangtze River in China. In addition to mainland Asia, elephants lived on the islands of Sumatra, Sri Lanka and Java.

Now Asiatic elephant meets in wild nature only partially in Northeast and South India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia (Borneo), Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia (Sumatra), China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Myanmar, Brunei and Laos.

The Indian elephant is also called the Asian elephant. It belongs to the elephant family. Forms a separate genus of Asian elephants.

The preferred habitat is deciduous and tropical forests with dense undergrowth. These animals do not live in the steppe area. This is due to human farming activities. To date, these animals live only in reserves in areas without tall plants and trees. It can climb the wooded cliffs into the mountains to a height of about 3 thousand meters above sea level. This occurs in the northeastern regions of India - in the Eastern Himalayas. These animals are well mastered also in swampy areas and reservoirs with shallow depth.

There are 3 types of Asian elephants: the elephant of Indonesia, or rather Borneo and Sumatra; Indian elephant inhabiting Nepal, Thailand, Laos, India, Bhutan, Vietnam, China; elephant of the island of Sri Lanka. Usually in conversations and publications the term "Indian elephant" is used, meaning by this all Asian elephants.

Indian Elephant Dimensions

Indian elephant big and strong. In terms of weight and size, it is second only to its African counterpart, i.e. among all the mammals of the planet, this animal ranks second in size.

The maximum height of the male is 3.2 meters, females can reach a height of 2.2-2.4 meters. Males can weigh a maximum of 5.5 tons.

Females are smaller, their weight can be up to 2.6 tons. IN total mass about 15% of the body is the weight of the skeleton. largest representative kind of lived in India and in 1924 was shot dead. He weighed 8 tons, his body was 8 meters long, the height of the animal was 3.35 meters. Now the body length of these animals varies from 5.5 to 6.6 meters. They have a tail, the length of which is up to 1.5 meters.

Appearance

If we compare the Indian elephant with the African, then the first is more stocky. It has powerful legs. Due to the fact that the soles of the feet expand when in contact with the surface, animals move perfectly on sand and wetlands. The front legs have 5 fingers, the hind legs - 4. The body of elephants is covered with dark gray, almost brown, dry wrinkled skin. Elephants carefully monitor her condition. They love to swim, scratch themselves on the bark and branches of trees, and wallow in the dust.

The body is covered with sparse hard hair, and in young animals it is thicker and darker, almost brown. Compared to the African, the Indian elephant has a different head shape, so the inhabitant of the African continent can be easily distinguished from the inhabitant of India. It has two small bumps on its head. On the sides, the head is slightly compressed. Unlike the African counterpart, the ears of the Indian elephant are small.

The elephant has a trunk, the length of which is 1.5-1.8 meters. These are the muscles that represent the fused upper lip and nose. The trunk easily holds a whole bucket of water. At the end it has one finger-like process, while the African elephant has two.

The tusks are huge fangs. The females of this animal do not have tusks. Sometimes males do not have tusks. This is usually characteristic of representatives of the population of Sri Lanka. The maximum length of the tusks is 1.6 meters. Their maximum weight can be 25 kg. For comparison: an African elephant's tusks can be 2.5 meters long and weigh 45 kg. The largest recorded length of the tusks of an Asian elephant was 1.8 meters, their weight was 40 kg. The animal has 4 molars, which change 4 times during life. Milk teeth fall out at 15-16, molars grow, then they change at an interval of 12 years. When the last molars wear out, the elephant dies of hunger. Life expectancy in the wild is 60-65 years individual cases- 70 years old. Under certain conditions, an animal can live 80 years.

Behavior and nutrition of the Indian elephant

Indian elephants live in groups consisting of mature females, their daughters and offspring. The head of such a group is an adult female. The number of the herd is 10-20 animals. Previously, groups were much more numerous, until man began to actively and often invade wildlife. Males create separate groups, but these herds are unstable, they can break up, then unite again, but already include new males. It is often possible to see that an adult male is present in a group of females. However, he is not a full member of this herd.

Listen to the voice of an Indian elephant

The basis of the diet of Indian elephants is plant food. This animal eats leaves, grass, bananas, tree bark, roots and sugar cane. It can enter farmlands in search of food, which causes a negative attitude of people.

These animals feed on one site for only a few days, then move on to the next. This is due to the fact that these animals eat a lot and the vegetation around them is eaten quickly. Each herd has its own territory, its area is approximately 30-40 sq. km. Elephants do not enter other people's possessions. They have excellent hearing and a keen sense of smell, but their eyesight is poor. The Indian elephant has a very high level of intelligence, in this he is second only to the dolphin. Elephants have a developed sense of mutual assistance.

reproduction

Males become sexually mature at 12-15 years. From that moment on, every year they have a state called mast or must (English musth). During this period, they increase the level of the sex hormone testosterone, its concentration increases by almost 100 times. This period lasts 2 months. At this time, males are aggressive, practically do not eat and spend all their time looking for a female ready for breeding. In the African elephant, the must passes calmly, without such manifestations. Once an Asian elephant has found a suitable female, it engages in combat with other males. And only by defeating all rivals, he achieves her location. It lasts about 20 days.

The duration of pregnancy is 18-22 months. Usually one baby elephant is born, in rare cases- two. The weight of a newborn is 100 kg, it reaches a height of 1 meter. The female feeds the cub with milk for 2 years. Females become sexually mature at 10-12 years of age. Young females spend their whole lives next to their mother, and males leave the herd at the age of 8-12 years.

Indian elephant and man

This animal has almost no enemies in the wild, only and represent a certain danger. In ancient times, elephants were enemies, but now they are practically never found in the wild. A small population of these lions remained only in the northwestern part of India in the Gir reserve. On this moment these predators do not pose a threat to elephants.

These animals have been tamed by humans for centuries. They were used by the army for movement and transportation of weapons, they took part in rituals. Every ruler of India had elephants at his palace, which demonstrated his power and wealth. Elephants were also used in heavy construction work. These animals are smart and quick-witted, and also take root well in captivity.

IN last years in India, powerful mechanisms and tools are used everywhere at construction sites, so elephants are no longer involved in these works. Human agricultural activities, namely plowing of land and the expansion of farmlands, negatively affect the population. Now in Asia, the number of Indian elephants is up to 50 thousand individuals. People shoot these animals because they harm their lands and simply interfere with a normal life. Reduces population and shooting for tusks. In 1986, this animal was listed in the International Red Book. Now there is a constant decline in the number of elephants by 2-3% annually.

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elephants (Elephantidae)- huge, strong, intelligent and sociable mammals. For many centuries, mankind has been amazed by their size - males of the African species can reach 7,500 kilograms. Elephants amaze 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 movies about elephants - you've probably heard of Horton, King Babar and baby Dumbo.

Appearance

Ears

The ears of elephants, in addition to their direct 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 "thick-skinned" comes from 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, as the evaporation time increases and the body stays cooler 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

The tusks of an elephant are located on the upper jaw and serve as the only incisors. They are used for defense, foraging, and for lifting objects. The tusks are present at birth and are milk teeth that fall out after a year when they reach a length of 5 cm. Permanent tusks extend beyond 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 peculiar shape creates a special sheen that distinguishes ivory tusks from other mammals such as warthogs, walruses and sperm whales. Often, African elephants die at the hands of poachers just 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 in its lifetime. 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, elephant molars are sensitive and worn, 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 circumstance has led some people to believe that elephants go to special places to die.

Trunk

The elephant's trunk simultaneously acts as the upper lip and nose. On each side of the trunk there are 8 large muscles, and along the 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 lower the trunk of a tree down and so agile that he can only pick up one straw. Elephants use their trunks like we use our hands: grab, hold, lift, touch, pull, push and throw.

The trunk also functions as a nose. It has two nostrils to draw in air through the long nasal passages into the lungs. Elephants use their trunk to drink, but the water doesn't go all the way to the nose like a straw, instead it lingers in the trunk and then the elephant raises its head and pours the water into its mouth.

Habitat

Asian elephants live in Nepal, India and part South-East Asia. The main habitat is low growing and tropical forests. During the dry months, they are often found along river banks.

African bush elephants (savanna elephants) live in eastern, central and southern parts of Africa, prefer lowland and mountain forests, floodplains, all types of woodlands and savannahs. Forest elephants are found in the Congo Basin and West Africa, in damp, 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 in height to his shoulders. Most animals do not grow to this size, but African bush elephants are much larger in size than Asian ones.

big appetite

The elephant's diet includes all types of vegetation, from grass and fruits 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. Savanna elephants are herbivores and feed on grass, including sedge, flowering plants, leaves of bushes. Forest elephants prefer leaves, fruits, seeds, twigs and bark. Asian elephants have a mixed diet, during the dry season and after. heavy rains they eat shrubs 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 according to the season, twigs and bark.

Life in the herd

Elephants live in cramped social groups, which are called herds, usually consist of females and their offspring. The main leader of the herd is the most experienced and adult female, so matriarchy reigns in the elephant family. The leader of the herd remembers how to find his 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 the group becomes large, a new herd is formed, while they can maintain free communication with other associations.

Adult males usually do not 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 breeding. They do not participate in the upbringing of their offspring.

Etiquette is an important part of elephant society. The trunk may be extended to another elephant in greeting, affection, hugging, wrestling, and reproductive testing.

Offspring

At birth, the growth of an elephant cub is about a meter, and the weight is 55-120 kg. As a rule, babies are born with hairline, short trunk and directly depends on the mother and other members of the herd. They do not need a trunk, since milk, from the mother, enters the mouth. Baby elephants try to stay as close as possible to their mother or other 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, baby elephants need to gradually move through the social stages 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 the trunk. At first they are very clumsy, but all the time they learn to control their body. Upon reaching 2-3 years of age, elephants stop eating mother's milk.

Enemies

What animals pose a threat to elephants? Not many! Baby elephants can be potential food for hyenas, lions, leopards, or crocodiles, but as long as they're with their mom, don't worry. If an elephant senses an approaching danger, it makes a loud sound (alarm) to warn others. To fight a potential predator, the herd forms a protective ring of adults, while the babies are in the middle. For an adult elephant, the main enemy is a poacher with a rifle.

Sounds

Elephants make many different sounds, but some of them are not able to catch human ears, because they are low-frequency. Elephants use these sounds to communicate with each other over long distances. Have you had stomach growls at the most inopportune moment? For elephant society, this is a welcome sound that signals to other elephants that "everything is fine."

Kinds

There are two kinds of elephants: African and Asian. African genus is subdivided into two species, the bush elephant and the forest elephant, while the Asiatic or Indian elephant is the only surviving species of its kind. Discussions are still ongoing about how many and what types of elephants there are. More details about African and Asian elephants are written below.

African elephant

Conservation Status: Vulnerable.

African elephants are the largest land animals in the world. Their trunk is an extension of their upper lip and nose and is used to communicate with other individuals, sort things out, and for eating. African elephants, unlike Asian elephants, have two forks at the end of their trunks. Tusks, which grow throughout life, are observed in both males and females, are used in battles, for digging, and also for food. Another notable feature African elephants are their huge ears, which allow you to cool a huge body.

To date, there are two types of African elephants:

Bush or bush elephant (Loxodonta africana);

forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis).

savanna view bigger size than forest and has tusks twisted outwards. 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 of bonded females and their offspring. In the bush elephant, each family unit includes about 10 individuals, although there are associations of these family units - "clans" that can number 70 individuals. elephants forest view live in small family groups. Herds can form temporary aggregations of elephants, with numbers of about 1000 individuals, mainly in East Africa. These associations occur during a period of drought, due to human intervention or any other changes that worsen the standard pattern of existence. When threatened, elephants create a ring around the young and the matriarch (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, the female gives birth to one cub, once every 2.5-9 years, at the beginning of the rainy season. Pregnancy lasts 22 months. Cubs are on breastfeeding 6-18 months, although there are cases of feeding up to 6 years. Males leave the female after mating and tend to form alliances with other males. African elephants can live up to 70 years. The fertile age of females begins at 25 years, lasts up to 45 years. Males need to reach the age of 20 in order to successfully compete for a female with other males.

diet

African elephants prefer to eat leaves, branches of bushes and trees, but they can eat grass, fruits and bark.

Historical range and population size

The range of the African elephant ranged across most of Africa, from the coast mediterranean sea to the south of the continent. Scientists believe that between 1930 and 1940, there were more than 3-5 million African elephants. However, as a result of intensive hunting for trophies and tusks, the populations of the species began to decline significantly from the 1950s. An estimated 100,000 elephants were killed in the 1980s, and in some regions, up to 80% of the elephants were killed. In Kenya, the population fell by 85% between 1973 and 1989.

Population size and distribution at the current time

The forest species is distributed in the tropical forest zone in the west and in the center of Africa, where there are relatively large areas of dense forest. The bush elephant lives in the east and south of 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 West African countries, the population count is carried out with only hundreds or tens of individuals living in small groups in an isolated forest. In contrast to the west of the continent, the elephant population in the south is larger and gradually increasing - more than 300,000 elephants now wander between subregions.

Threats

Elephants continue to wander throughout Africa. But these magnificent animals are endangered due to poaching and habitat loss. Elephant populations across Africa are in varying states, some are under great threat 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 contain only a small number of animals. The African elephant is threatened by illegal hunting for meat and ivory, loss of habitat, conflicts with humans. Most countries do not have sufficient capacity to protect the African elephant. In the absence of conservation action, in some parts of Africa for 50 years, elephants may become extinct animals.

In the early 1970s, the demand for ivory increased and the amount of ivory exported from Africa reached a critical level. Most of the goods that left Africa were declared illegal, with about 80% of the raw meat of 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 Species wildlife and Flora" banned the international trade in ivory to combat massive illegal trade. Following the entry into force of the ban in 1990, some of the main markets for ivory were eliminated. As a result, illegal killings have dropped dramatically in some countries in Africa, 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 markets for the sale of ivory in a number of states continue to grow. In addition, increasing land use pressure on the elephant population, cuts in the protection budget, and continued poaching for elephant bone and meat have kept the illegal killing of elephants common in some regions.

The uneven distribution of the population has created controversy over the conservation of the African elephant. Some people, mostly residents southern countries where elephant numbers are increasing, it is believed that legal enforcement and control of the ivory trade can bring substantial economic benefits without compromising the conservation of the species. Others oppose because corruption and lack of law enforcement will not allow control over reasonable trading. Therefore, the illegal ivory trade remains a real threat to the African elephant, and concern for the conservation of the population is considered a priority.

Since the range of the elephant goes beyond protected areas, and the rapid growth of the human population and the expansion of land for management Agriculture increasingly reduce the habitat of elephants. In this regard, there is a conflict between man and elephant. The boundaries of the farms do not allow elephants to pass through the migratory corridors. The consequence is the destruction or damage of agricultural crops and small villages. The inevitable loss comes from both sides, as people lose their livelihood to elephants, and elephants lose their habitats, for which they often lose their lives. The human population continues to grow throughout the territory of elephants, which threatens to reduce habitats, being the main threat.

The more we learn about elephants, the more the need for conservation increases. Need to inspire current generation 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

The sacred Asian elephant, which has been worshiped for many centuries, is still used for ceremonial and religious purposes. He is revered not only for his role in Asian culture, but also for being one of the key species in the tropical forests of Asia. Although there are thousands of domesticated elephants in Southeast Asia, this magnificent animal is threatened with extinction in the wild, associated with a rapidly growing human population that is crowding out elephants from their usual habitat.

Wild elephant populations are small because ancient migration routes are cut off by human settlements and cannot rejoin other elephant groups. Clashes between elephants and humans often result in the death of 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. A significant number of 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 keep their bodies cool. They have a well-developed hearing, vision, sense of 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 patches of pink on the forehead, ears, chest and at the base of the trunk.

social structure

Asian elephants have a close social structure. Females are united in groups of 6-7 related individuals, at the head of which are females "matriarchs". As with African elephants, groups may join others to form large herds that are relatively short-lived.

Life cycle

According to observers, Asian elephant cubs can stand on their feet immediately after birth, and after a few months they begin to feed on grass and leaves. Under the care of the mother, the babies remain 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, the female can give birth to cubs every 2.5-4 years, otherwise it 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 sugar cane are the preferred foods. Asian elephants need to drink at least once a day, so they are always near fresh water sources.

Population and distribution

Initially ranged from present-day Iraq and Syria to China's Yellow River Yellow River, they are now only found from India to Vietnam, with a tiny population settled in China's southwest Yunnan province. It is estimated that over 100,000 Asian elephants existed in the early 20th century. And over the past 60-75 years, the population has declined by at least 50%.

Threats

The ever-growing human population of tropical Asia has encroached on the elephants' dense but declining forested 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 a significant loss of forest cover, as well as a decline in the number of Asian elephants - 25,600-32,750 individuals in the wild.

The populations of the Asian elephant have increased fragmentation, the consequence of which is a significant decrease in the chances of survival, since in the face of a growing population of people, development projects are created based on the construction of dams, roads, mines, industrial complexes, settlements. Most national parks and reserves where elephants live are too small to accommodate all viable populations. The transformation of forest land into agricultural land leads to serious conflicts between people and elephants. Every year in India, elephants kill up to 300 people.

In Asiatic elephants, only males have tusks and therefore poaching is directed at them. 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 prey) and northeast India, where some people eat elephant meat. From 1995 to 1996, covert poaching for the bones and meat of Asian elephants increased. The illegal trade across the Thai-Myanmar border in live elephants, their bones, and skins has also become a big conservation problem. In 1997, seven years after the ban on the ivory trade, illegal sales remained in the territory. Far East, wherein South Korea, China and Taiwan remained the main markets. However, most of this illegal production came from Africa, not Asian elephants.

The incarceration of wild elephants for domestic purposes has become a threat to wild populations, which have declined substantially. The governments of India, Vietnam, and Myanmar have banned capture in order to preserve wild herds, but in Myanmar, elephants have been captured annually for use in the lumber industry or illegal trade. Unfortunately, crude methods of catching have led to high level mortality. 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 through the reintroduction of individuals into the wild.

elephant facts

• Life span: about 30 years in the wild and about 50 years in captivity.
• Pregnancy: 20 to 22 months.
• Number of babies at birth: 1.
• Sexual maturity 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. The female Asian elephant weighs an average of 2720 kg, and the male - 5400 kg.
• Birth weight: 55-120 kg.
• Height at birth: 66-107 centimeters to the shoulders.
• The skin of an elephant 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 dentine, just like our teeth.
• In the Andaman Islands (India), elephants swim in the sea between the islands.
• The skull of an elephant weighs about 52 kilograms.
• Elephants use mostly one of their tusks. Therefore, often one is worn more than the other.
• The modern elephant is the only mammal that can stay well below the surface of the water, using its trunk as a snorkel.
• 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 annoyed 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 have done something nice for them or vice versa.
• Elephants sleep lying down for several hours, and, as zookeepers have noticed, they can even snore.
• An African elephant, weighing about 6,300 kilograms, is capable of carrying up to 9,000 kilograms.

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Maybe on his ears. In the second, they are huge, like burdocks, and their top point coincides with the top of the head, while the neat ears of the Indian elephant never rise above the neck.

Asian elephant

The Indian is inferior to the African in size and weight, gaining a little less than 5 and a half tons by the end of its life, while the savannah (African) can swing the scales up to the mark of 7 tons.

The most vulnerable organ is the skin, devoid of sweat glands. It is she who makes the animal constantly arrange mud and water procedures, protecting it from moisture loss, burns and insect bites.

The wrinkled thick skin (up to 2.5 cm thick) is covered with hair, which is erased by frequent scratching on trees: this is why elephants often look spotty.

Wrinkles in the skin are necessary to retain water - they do not allow it to roll off, preventing the elephant from overheating.

The thinnest epidermis is observed near the anus, mouth and inside the auricles.

The usual color of the Indian elephant varies from dark gray to brown, but there are also albinos (not white, but only slightly lighter than their herd counterparts).

It has been noted that Elephas maximus (Asian elephant), whose body length ranges from 5.5 to 6.4 m, is more impressive than African and has thicker shortened legs.

Another difference from the savanna elephant - highest point body: in the Asian elephant it is the forehead, in the first it is the shoulders.

Tusks and teeth

The tusks resemble giant horns that originate in the mouth. In fact, these are the long upper incisors of males, growing up to 20 centimeters in a year.

The tusk of an Indian elephant is less massive (2-3 times) than the tusk of its African relative, and weighs about 25 kg with a length of 160 cm. The working side of an elephant is easy to calculate by the tusk, more worn and rounded on the right or left.

The tusks differ not only in size, but also in the shape and direction of growth (not forward, but sideways).

Mahna is a special name for Asian elephants without tusks., which are found in abundance in Sri Lanka.

In addition to elongated incisors, the elephant is armed with 4 molars, each of which grows up to a quarter of a meter. They change as they are ground down, with the new ones cutting behind rather than under the old teeth, pushing them forward.

In an Asian elephant, teeth change 6 times in a lifetime, and the last ones appear by the age of forty.

This is interesting! teeth in natural environment habitats play a fatal role in the fate of an elephant: when the last molars wear out, the animal cannot chew through tough vegetation and dies of exhaustion. In nature, this happens by the age of 70 elephant years.

Other organs and body parts

A huge heart (often with a double top) weighs about 30 kg, contracting at a frequency of 30 times per minute. 10% of body weight comes from blood.

The brain is one of the most large mammals the planet is considered (quite naturally) the heaviest, pulling 5 kg.

Females, unlike males, have two mammary mammary glands.

An elephant needs ears not only to perceive sounds, but also to use them as a fan, fanning himself in the midday heat.

Most universal elephant organ - trunk, with the help of which animals perceive smells, breathe, douse themselves with water, feel and capture various objects, including food.

The trunk, practically devoid of bones and cartilage, is formed by the fused upper lip and nose. The special mobility of the trunk is due to the presence of 40,000 muscles (tendons and muscles). The only cartilage (separating the nostrils) can be found at the tip of the trunk.

By the way, the trunk ends with a very sensitive process that can detect a needle in a haystack.

And the trunk of an Indian elephant holds up to 6 liters of liquid. Having taken in water, the animal puts a folded trunk into its mouth and blows so that moisture enters the throat.

This is interesting! If they try to convince you that an elephant has 4 knees, do not believe it: there are only two of them. Another pair of joints is not knee, but elbow.

Range and subspecies

Once Elephas maximus lived in Southeast Asia from Mesopotamia to the Malay Peninsula, inhabiting (in the north) the foothills of the Himalayas, individual islands of Indonesia and the Yangtze Valley in China.

Over time, the area has undergone drastic changes, acquiring a fragmented appearance. Now Asian elephants live in India (South and Northeast), Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Southwest China, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Brunei.

Biologists distinguish five modern subspecies of Elephas maximus:

• indicus (Indian elephant) - males this subspecies retained the tusks. Animals are found in local areas of South and Northeast India, the Himalayas, China, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and the Malay Peninsula;
• maximus (Sri Lankan elephant) - males usually do not have tusks. characteristic feature- a very large (against the background of the body) head with discolored spots at the base of the trunk and on the forehead. Found in Sri Lanka;
• a special subspecies of Elephas maximus also found in Sri Lanka. The population is less than 100 elephants, which are taller than their fellow species. These giants, living in the forests of Northern Nepal, are 30 cm taller than standard Indian elephants;
• borneensis (Bornean elephant) - a small subspecies with the largest auricles, straighter tusks and long tail. These elephants can be found in the northeast of the island of Borneo;
• sumatrensis (Sumatra elephant) - because of its compact size, it is also called the "pocket elephant". Doesn't leave Sumatra.

Matriarchy and separation of the sexes

Relationships in an elephant herd are built according to this principle: there is one, the most adult female, who leads her less experienced sisters, girlfriends, children, as well as males who have not reached puberty.

Mature elephants tend to stay alone, and only the aged are allowed to accompany the group, ruled by the matriarch.

About 150 years ago, such herds consisted of 30, 50 and even 100 animals, in our time the herd includes from 2 to 10 mothers, burdened with their own cubs.

By the age of 10-12, elephants reach puberty, but only at the age of 16 they can bear offspring, and after another 4 years they are considered adults. The maximum fertility occurs between 25 and 45 years: during this time, the female elephant gives 4 litters, becoming pregnant on average every 4 years.

Grown up males, acquiring the ability to fertilize, leave their native herd at the age of 10-17 years and wander alone until their matrimonial interests intersect.

The reason for the mating race between dominant males is the partner in estrus (2-4 days). In battle, opponents risk not only their health, but also their lives, as they are in a special excited state called must (translated from Urdu - "drunk").

The winner drives away the weaklings and does not leave the chosen one for 3 weeks.

Must, at which testosterone goes off scale, lasts up to 2 months: elephants forget about food and are busy looking for females in estrus. Must is characterized by two types of discharge: abundant urine and a liquid with odorous pheromones, which is produced by a gland located between the eye and ear.

Stupid elephants are dangerous not only for their relatives. When "drunk" they attack people.

Offspring

Reproduction of Indian elephants does not depend on the season, although drought or forced crowding of a large number of animals can slow down the onset of estrus and even puberty.

The fetus is in the mother's womb up to 22 months, fully formed by 19 months: in the remaining time, it simply gains weight.

During childbirth, females cover the woman in labor, standing in a circle. An elephant gives birth to one (rarely two) cubs a meter tall and weighing up to 100 kg. He already has elongated incisors that fall out when replacing milk teeth with permanent ones.

A couple of hours after the birth, the baby elephant is already standing on its feet and sucking its mother's milk, and the mother powders the child with dust and earth so that its delicate smell does not lure predators.

A few days will pass, and the newborn will wander along with everyone, clinging to the mother's tail with its proboscis.

Elephant is allowed to suck milk from all lactating elephants. The cub is torn from the chest at 1.5-2 years, completely transferring to a plant-based diet. Meanwhile, the baby elephant begins to dilute milk feeding with grass and leaves at the age of six months.

After giving birth, the female elephant defecates so that the newborn will remember the aroma of her feces. In the future, the baby elephant will eat them so that they enter the body as undigested nutrients, and symbiotic bacteria that promote the absorption of cellulose.

Lifestyle

Despite the fact that the Indian elephant is considered a forest dweller, he easily climbs uphill and overcomes wetlands (thanks to special structure feet).

He loves the cold more than the heat, during which he prefers not to leave the shady corners, fanning himself with huge ears. It is they, by virtue of their size, that serve as a kind of sound amplifiers: that is why elephant hearing is more sensitive than human hearing.

This is interesting! By the way, the organs of hearing in these animals, along with the ears, are ... legs. It turned out that elephants send and receive seismic waves at a distance of 2 thousand meters.

Excellent hearing is supported by a keen sense of smell and touch. The only thing that fails the elephant is his eyes, which are unable to distinguish distant objects. He sees better in shady places.

An excellent sense of balance allows the animal to sleep standing up, placing heavy tusks on tree branches or on top of a termite mound. In captivity, he pushes them into the bars or rests them against the wall.

Sleeping 4 hours a day. Cubs and sick individuals can lie down on the ground. The Asian elephant walks at a speed of 2-6 km / h, accelerating to 45 km / h in case of danger, which it warns of with a raised tail.

The elephant not only loves water procedures - it swims excellently and is able to have sex in the river, impregnating several partners.

Asian elephants convey information not only by roaring, trumpeting, grumbling, screeching and other sounds: in their arsenal are the movements of the body and trunk. So, the powerful blows of the latter on the ground make it clear to the relatives that their comrade is furious.

What else you need to know about the Asian elephant

This is a herbivore that eats from 150 to 300 kg of grass, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits and shoots per day.

The elephant is considered one of the largest agricultural pests (in terms of size), as their herds cause devastating damage to sugar cane, banana and rice plantations.

A complete digestion cycle takes an elephant 24 hours., and less than half of the food is digested. During the day, the giant drinks from 70 to 200 liters of water, which is why he cannot go far from the source.

Elephants are able to show sincere emotions. They are genuinely sad if newborn baby elephants or other members of the community die. Joyful events give elephants a reason to have fun and even laugh. Noticing a baby elephant that has fallen into the mud, an adult will definitely stretch out its trunk to help. Elephants are able to hug each other by wrapping their trunks around each other.

In 1986, the species (as close to extinction) was on the pages of the International Red Book.

The reasons for the sharp decline in the number of Indian elephants (up to 2-5% per year) are:

• killing for ivory and meat;
• persecution due to damage to farmland;
• degradation environment associated with human activity;
• death under the wheels of vehicles.

In nature, adults do not natural enemies, except for humans: but baby elephants often die when attacked by Indian lions and tigers.

In the wild, Asian elephants live 60-70 years, in zoos 10 years more.

This is interesting! The most famous elephant centenarian is Lin Wang from Taiwan, who went to the forefathers in 2003. It was a well-deserved war elephant that "fought" on the side of the Chinese army in the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1954). At the time of his death, Lin Wang was 86 years old.