3 what kind of elephant is the largest. The largest elephants in the world. Origin of modern elephants

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 parts of Southeast 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 depending on 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 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 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 sub-regions.

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 population of the African elephant 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

Sacred asian elephant, which has been worshiped for many centuries, is still used for solemn 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 wild nature, associated with a rapidly growing human population, displacing 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 mammal in 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 humans 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.

Elephants are the largest land animals. These amazing animals have a powerful trunk with which they do almost everything. Here are some interesting facts about elephants.

So, the most interesting facts about elephants:

• Like dolphins, elephants can easily communicate with each other using low-frequency signals and noises that the human ear cannot recognize.

• An elephant's heart can weigh up to 30 kg, but because it's so big, it only beats about 30 times per minute.

• September 22 is the official day for the protection of elephants.

• As a rule, elephants live no more than 70 years, although among them there are centenarians.

• Elephants carry their young for 22 months, which is the longest gestation of any land creature.

• Elephants cannot jump or run fast, but they are excellent swimmers and feel good in the water.

• by the most big elephant For the whole history counts an elephant named Jumbo, who was born in 1861 and died after a collision with a train. At the time of his death, he was 24 years old, and he was 4 meters in height.

• In total, there are 2 types of elephants - Asian and African. Although, of course, each species has several more subspecies (African bush elephant or, for example, Asian bush elephant, etc.)

• As a rule, herds of elephants consist mainly of relatives and can number hundreds, and sometimes thousands of individuals.

• Elephants are highly developed and intelligent animals. They tend to help each other in any situation, take care when someone gets sick. They also tend to rejoice and generally experience emotions, and even feel sad when someone from their herd dies.

• At the beginning of the 20th century, there were two public executions of elephants. In 1903, Topsy the elephant was executed with electric current because she trampled 3 people. 13 years later, another elephant named Big Mary was executed for a similar crime. They decided to execute her by hanging on a crane.

• Another very wonderful interesting fact. Ivory is not only the naming of elephant tusks. In addition to them, this term is called the fangs of a hippopotamus, the fangs of walruses. Mammoth tusks and even sperm whale teeth. It's all ivory.)

• If you look at the leg of an elephant with the help of an X-ray, you can see that he walks as if on his fingers, i.e. on tiptoe, and his heel is raised. Thus, the entire load goes to the fingers, and this entire massive leg inside practically consists of one fat.

• Elephants drink an average of 100-200 liters per day, and their trunk can hold up to 8 liters of water.

• Most of the time the elephant spends eating (about 16 hours).

The elephant is the largest land mammal on our planet. Elephants belong to the "proboscis" order. With the help of a trunk, elephants drink, take a shower and use it instead of hands. The trunk also helps to communicate with each other by making sounds. It is believed that elephants appeared 23 million years ago. Then there were no African and Asian elephants, but there were already their relatives - mammoths and stegodons. Modern elephants live in tropical forests and savannahs. Scientists have listed them in the Red Book, as elephant tusks are valuable for poachers.

When wondering how much an elephant weighs, do not forget that the elephant eats 16 hours a day. During this time, he consumes half a ton of plant foods and half as much water. Therefore, one should take into account the weight of a hungry or full elephant. in question. It is also worth remembering that younger individuals eat and drink half as much.

There are several types of elephants in the world, distinguished by weight and habitat. Let's take a closer look.

How much does an African elephant weigh?

Scientists have recognized two types of African elephants - savannah and forest elephants. Perhaps in the near future a third species will be recognized - East African. Half a million individuals are divided as follows: one quarter is a forest elephant and three quarters is a savannah elephant.

The forest elephant is the smallest member of the family. An adult reaches up to two and a half meters in height. At the same time, its weight is 2500 in kilograms or 2.5 in tons.

The bush elephant, on the other hand, is considered the largest animal in the world. The average weight of an adult male is 5 tons. At the same time, for different representatives, the weight ranges from 4 to 7 tons. The height reaches from 2.5 to 3.5 meters. The female weighs slightly less - from 3 to 4.

Many believe that African elephants are descended from mammoths. But these proboscis families are relatives. Mammoths weighed more - from 10 to 12 tons and reached a height of 5 meters. Thus, mammoths were 2 times larger than modern elephants.

How much does an Indian elephant weigh?

The Indian or Asian elephant is the second largest land animal after the bush elephant. Despite this, the weight of the Indian elephant is also amazing, on average it weighs 5-6 tons. The weight of the female is 3 tons.

Asian elephants in the wild are found in India, Bhutan, Cambodia, the islands of Sri Lanka and Sumatra and some other places in Southeast Asia.

These elephants spend 20 hours a day searching for and eating plant foods. At the same time, an adult elephant eats 150 - 300 kilograms of grass, bamboo and other vegetation per day.

Indian elephants are easier to tame. This species is found in circuses and zoos. Interestingly, the life expectancy of these elephants in captivity is 80 years, and in the wild - 60, maximum 70 years.

The origin of the Asian elephant is still debated. Some scientists believe that they are descended from stegodons, since they have a similar habitat. Stegodons are an extinct genus proboscis mammals. The main difference from elephants in the structure of the teeth and a stronger and more compact skeleton. But, most scientists are sure that stegodons have no descendants.

The number of Asian elephants is approaching the critical - 25 thousand individuals.

The heaviest elephant in the world

The heaviest elephant in the world was seen in the nineteenth century in Angola. The weight of the elephant, seen by contemporaries in the city of Mukusso, was 12.2 tons.

Most big elephant in the world lives in the Israel Zoo. The elephant's name is Yossi and he is in his early 30s. Of the elephants living in captivity, he is recognized as the tallest - his height reaches 3.7 meters and, as the zoo staff say, he can hardly squeeze through the gate. Yossi's weight reached 6 tons. The length of the trunk is 2.5 meters, the tail is a meter. During the life of Yossi, 19 elephants were born.

famous elephants

Elephants can laugh and are even able to paint a picture with their trunks. They have excellent memory and intelligence. Some members of the family even went down in world history thanks to their unique abilities.

So, the elephant Batyr, who lived in the Karaganda Zoo, amazed the audience and employees with his voice, or rather onomatopoeia. The elephant repeated the sounds he heard - the barking of dogs, the speech of people, the singing of birds. But the "talking" elephant was never recognized, as scientists proved that the sounds that he made were not speech. The elephant died at the age of 24.

Another elephant that can imitate human speech lives in a zoo in Korea. Elephant Kosik is able to reproduce 8 words per Korean. It is not yet known whether he understands their meaning.

Received publicity sad story two brothers - the elephants Castor and Pollux, who were eaten in the zoo during the siege of Paris in the 19th century. Castor was killed first, on December 29, 1870. Pollux was shot the next day. The politician from England, Henry Labouchere, tasted the meat of these unfortunate animals. This is how he described the meal:

“Yesterday I had a piece of Pollux for lunch. Pollux and his brother Castor are two elephants that were killed. It was tough, rough and greasy food and I do not recommend English families eat elephants as long as they can get beef or mutton.”

Savannah elephant Jumbo became the first circus and zoo animal. He is the mascot of Tufts University (USA). Lived in Paris, London, America. He died in front of trainer Matthew Scott: the locomotive hit Jumbo to death. At that time, the elephant weighed 7 tons, its height was 4 meters. The circus suffered a loss of 100 thousand dollars, losing a celebrity. Jumbo's body was opened, the skeleton was sent to New York to the Museum of Natural History. Cornell University bought Jumbo's heart for $40. The tusks were used as souvenirs.

Guruvayur Keshavan is the famous elephant in the state of Kerala, India. He was presented as a gift to the Krishnaid temple, and after his death immortalized with a monument on its territory in full size. His height was 3.2 meters. Kevashan posthumously received the title "Ghajarajan", meaning King of Elephants.

The world knows the elephant Gaby, born through artificial insemination. Residents of 108 countries followed his birth via the Internet. Gaby was born in Israel in 2005. The name of the elephant will be in honor of the zoo veterinarian Gaby Eshkar, who inseminated the elephant Tamar. The elephant became pregnant after 2 years on the fourth attempt. Gabi is the firstborn of Tamar, at the time of his birth Tamar was already 20 years old. Surprisingly, the baby elephant was born healthy, weighing 70 kg. Two years later, another artificial insemination was performed in the same zoo, but neither the mother nor the cub survived.

The infamous Asian elephant Topsy from Luna Park in New York. In three years, she killed three people, for which she was executed on January 4, 1903 with the help of current. The elephant died in 10 seconds. One and a half thousand people attended the execution. 100 years later, Topsy erected a monument at the Coney Island Museum.

The same fate awaited the elephant Mary, who was publicly hanged in the United States on September 13, 1916 for killing a man. The death occurred in the circus arena. Red Eldridge was supposed to take Mary to the audience, but due to lack of experience with animals, he pierced her ear. This infuriated Mary and she trampled Red to death. Because of the murder, the elephant gained popularity.

The elephant Hanako (at the birth of Katya) went down in history as a long-liver. Born in Thailand, she was the first elephant imported into Japan after World War II. Hanako has two kills on her account. However, she was not executed, like Mary and Topsy, her paws were chained and put in a barn. Perhaps that is why she became famous as the loneliest elephant in the world. Hanako lived to be 69 years old and passed away on May 26, 2016.

But the most bloodthirsty Indian elephant is Osama bin Laden, named after the terrorist. On account of his 27 murders, hundreds of destroyed houses and destroyed fields. Elephant terrorist could not be caught for a long time, as he covered his tracks and could quickly hide from the hunters. In search of the elephant, the killers even sent military detachments and policemen. In December 2006, Osama bin Laden was shot point-blank.

The most famous Russian giant elephant lived in the Moscow Zoo. His name was Shango, he was 4.5 meters tall and weighed 5.5 tons. During the Great Patriotic War the animals were evacuated from the zoo, but Shango was so large that it did not fit in any car, so he was left in place. He did not allow to evacuate his girlfriend Jindau, who died during the bombing. The giant died in 1961 at the age of 50. Dozens of literary stories have been written about Shango, the most famous of which is The Elephant and the Radio. The story is included in the collection "Deniska's Stories".

• Among elephants, there are left-handers and right-handers, it depends on which tusk they use more often. Therefore, the tusks are always of different sizes, because one of them wears out faster.
• Elephants live in families led by one old and experienced elephant. Males live alone.
• For conception, the elephant has a couple of days a year. The rest of the time, conception is impossible.
• If famine occurs, and there is not enough food for the herd, then the female elephants live alone, getting their own food on their own.
• Elephant bears a child for 22 months. During the life of an elephant brings up to 9 cubs.

• The elephant does not give birth alone, the other elephant helps to give birth and takes the baby elephant so that his mother does not crush him or trample him.
• Elephant milk fat - reaches 11%.
• An elephant's trunk has 500 muscles.
• Newborn elephants do not know how to control their trunk until they are two years old.
• In search of food, the elephant spends 15-20 hours a day.
• During the day, an adult elephant eats up to 450 kg of plants and drinks up to 300 liters of water.
• Elephants are known for their loyalty.

• Elephants know how to rejoice, have fun, laugh, be sad and empathize.
• If an elephant from the herd is sick, healthy relatives take care of it, bringing food and water.
• Only elephants bury a dead relative. This ritual is observed in the following way: first they blow the trunk, and then they bury the body with earth, branches and grass.
• Elephants can hear through their legs, picking up a signal from 50 km away from another elephant.
• Elephants live an average of 70 years.
• The weight of an elephant's brain is 5 kg, and the heart weighs up to 30 kg.
• There are homosexuals among elephants.

• Elephants are born without tusks, then milk tusks grow, and only then permanent ones.
• An elephant tooth weighs 3 kg.
• The penis size of an African elephant reaches 2 meters!
• An elephant poops out 130 kg of excrement per day.
• Elephants do not see well, but their sense of smell helps them navigate.
• If an elephant finds a baby elephant that has lost its relatives, he will adopt him, will not leave him in trouble.

• 600 people die from elephants a year.
• Elephants sleep 3 hours a day and snore.
• African elephants are not trainable. You can only tame an Indian elephant.
• An elephant dies when its teeth wear down to the point where it is unable to chew its food.
• Elephants use their ears to cool themselves, using them as a fan.
• There are veins on the ears that create an individual pattern for each elephant. It's like a human fingerprint.
• When swimming, the elephant uses its trunk as a breathing tube.

• The thickest layer of skin on an elephant reaches 4 centimeters.
• Elephants have excellent memories. Even after many years, they can take revenge on the offender. Elephants also remember the paths of other elephants.
• An elephant holds 7.5 liters of water in its trunk.
• Elephants cannot jump or run. When walking fast, an elephant develops a speed of 40 km / h.
• Only an elephant among animals stands on its head.
• Elephants love to drink beer and even know how to prepare mash by throwing fruit into a pit, waiting for fermentation, and then drinking.
• Elephants are unpredictable animals, they can attack for no reason.
• September 22 is International Elephant Day.

The elephant is the largest land animal of the class mammals, such as chordates, the proboscis order, the elephant family (Elephantidae).

Elephant - description, characteristics and photo

Elephants are giants among animals. The height of the elephant is 2 - 4 m. The weight of the elephant is from 3 to 7 tons. Elephants in Africa, especially savannas, often weigh up to 10-12 tons. The powerful body of an elephant is covered with thick (up to 2.5 cm) skin of brown or gray color with deep wrinkles. Elephant cubs are born with sparse bristles, adults are practically devoid of vegetation.

The head of the animal is quite large with ears of noteworthy size. Elephant ears have a fairly large surface, they are thick at the base with thin edges, as a rule, they are a good regulator of heat exchange. Fanning the ears allows the animal to increase the cooling effect. An elephant's foot has 2 kneecaps.

This structure makes the elephant the only mammal that cannot jump. In the center of the foot is a fat cushion that springs up with every step, which allows these powerful animals to move almost silently.

The elephant's trunk is an amazing and unique organ formed by a fused nose and upper lip. Tendons and over 100,000 muscles make him strong and flexible. The trunk performs a number of important functions, at the same time providing the animal with breathing, smelling, touching and grabbing food. Through the trunk, elephants protect themselves, water themselves, eat, communicate and even raise their offspring. Another "attribute" of appearance is the tusks of an elephant. They grow throughout life: the more powerful the tusks, the older their owner.

The tail of an elephant is about the same length as the hind legs. The tip of the tail is framed by coarse hair that helps to repel insects. The voice of an elephant is specific. The sounds that an adult animal makes are called boars, lowing, whispering and roaring of an elephant. The life expectancy of an elephant is approximately 70 years.

Elephants can swim very well and love water procedures, and their average speed movement on land reaches 3-6 km / h.

When running for short distances, the speed of an elephant sometimes increases to 50 km / h.

Elephant species

In the family of living elephants, there are three main species belonging to two genera:

• genus African elephants(Loxodonta) are divided into 2 types:
  • bush elephant(Loxodonta africana)

differs in gigantic size, dark color, developed tusks and two processes at the end of the trunk. It lives along the equator throughout Africa;

African Elephant (Savanna Elephant)

• • forest elephant(Loxodonta cyclotis)

has a small stature (up to 2.5 m at the withers) and rounded ears. This type of elephant is common in tropical African forests.

Species often interbreed and produce quite viable offspring.

• Genus indian(Asian) elephants ( Elephas) includes one species - Indian elephant ( Elephas maximus)

It is smaller than the Savannah but has a more powerful build and short legs. Color - from brown to dark gray. hallmark of this species of elephants - small quadrangular auricles and one process at the end of the trunk. The Indian or Asian elephant is common in tropical and subtropical forests India, China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

Indian elephant

Where and how do elephants live?

African elephants live almost throughout hot Africa: in Namibia and Senegal, in Kenya and Zimbabwe, in Guinea and the Republic of the Congo, in Sudan and South Africa, elephants in Zambia and Somalia feel great. The main part of the livestock, unfortunately, is forced to live in national reserves so as not to become the prey of barbarian poachers. The elephant lives on any landscape, but tries to avoid the desert zone and too dense tropical forests, preferring the savannah zone.

Indian elephants live in the northeast and south of India, in Thailand, China and on the island of Sri Lanka, they live in Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia. Unlike their counterparts from the African continent, Indian elephants like to settle in wooded areas, preferring bamboo thickets of the tropics and dense shrubs.

For about 16 hours a day, elephants are busy absorbing food, while eating about 300 kg of vegetation with appetite. The elephant eats grass (including cattail, papyrus in Africa), rhizomes, bark and leaves of trees (such as ficus in India), the fruits of wild bananas, apples, marula and even coffee. The diet of an elephant depends on the habitat, as in Africa and India grow different trees and herbs. These animals do not bypass agricultural plantations, causing significant damage to crops of corn, sweet potato and other crops with their visits. Their tusks and trunk help them get food, and their molars help them chew. Elephant teeth change as they grind down.

In the zoo, elephants are fed hay and greens (in large quantities), and they also give animals vegetables, fruits, root crops: cabbage, apples, pears, carrots, beets, watermelons, boiled potatoes, oats, bran, willow branches, bread, as well as a favorite elephants treat bananas and other crops. For a day in the wild, an elephant eats about 250-300 kg of food. In captivity, elephant food intake is as follows: about 10 kg of vegetables, 30 kg of hay and 10 kg of bread.

Adult individuals are well-known "water drinkers". An elephant drinks about 100-300 liters of water per day, so these animals are almost always near water bodies.

elephant breeding

Elephants form family herds (9-12 individuals), including a mature leader, her sisters, daughters and immature males. The female elephant is a hierarchical link in the family, she matures by the age of 12, at 16 she is ready to bear offspring. Sexually mature males leave the herd at the age of 15-20 years (African at 25) and become solitary. Every year, males fall into an aggressive state caused by an increase in testosterone, lasting about 2 months, so quite serious clashes between clans are not uncommon, ending in injuries and mutilations. True, this fact has its plus: competition with experienced counterparts stops young male elephants from mating early.

Elephant breeding occurs regardless of the season. The male elephant approaches the herd when he feels the female is ready to mate. Loyal among themselves in normal times, the males arrange mating fights, as a result of which the winner is admitted to the female. An elephant's pregnancy lasts 20-22 months. The birth of an elephant takes place in a society that is created by the females of the herd, surrounding and protecting the woman in labor from accidental danger.

Usually one baby elephant weighing about a centner is born, sometimes there are twins. After 2 hours, the newborn baby elephant stands up and sucks mother's milk with pleasure. After a few days, the cub easily travels with its relatives, grabbing the mother's tail with its trunk. Milk feeding lasts up to 1.5-2 years, and all lactating females participate in the process. By 6-7 months, milk is added plant food.

Why are elephants afraid of mice?

Many people know about the subconscious fear that giant elephants allegedly have for small representatives of the rodent family - mice. But here's what given fact is, most likely, a myth, not everyone knows. There is a legend according to which in ancient times there were so many mice that they dared to attack the elephant's legs, gnawed the limbs of animals almost to the bone and equipped minks there. That is why since then elephants began to sleep not lying down, but standing up. There is little logic in this, because many animals sleep standing up, for example, horses, which are not at all afraid of mice. But to assume that a rodent can climb into the trunk of a lying elephant and block the access of air to it, which would lead to the death of an elephant - much more likely, especially since several such cases have been recorded.

There is another theory, a little funny, but still: mice, climbing an elephant, strongly tickle the giant with their tenacious paws, from which the elephant feels a constant need to itch, and it is quite difficult for him to do this. However, all such assumptions were debunked by scientists: they were convinced that elephants are absolutely indifferent to mice, peacefully coexist with them in zoo enclosures, allowing tiny rodents to feast on the remnants of their meal, and are not at all afraid of them.

Why does an elephant have a long nose?

Trunk - the most spectacular distinguishing feature elephant. Reaching a length of about 1.5 meters and having a weight of 130-150 kg, this part of the body is simply necessary for an animal, just like a person’s hands, nose or tongue.

The ancestors of elephants, who lived in the distant past in the swamps, had a very small proboscis, which allowed them to breathe under the water.

Millions of years of evolution forced the ancient predecessor of the elephant to leave the swampy area, enormously increased the animal in size, as a result of which the elephant's trunk also had to adapt to new conditions of existence.

With its trunk, the elephant lifts and carries weights, plucks juicy bananas from palm trees and puts them in his mouth, as if with a load of water from a lake or river and arranges a shower for himself during the scorching heat, makes loud trumpeting sounds, catches smells, helps himself to drink, pouring water into mouth.

Surprisingly, to be able to use the trunk as a multifunctional tool is a rather complicated science that little elephants do not master right away: often babies even step on their trunk, so caring mother elephants patiently, for several months, teach their children the art of using this necessary “process” .

• Among the elephants there are right-handers and left-handers, which affects the greater use of one of the tusks.
• The special structure of the hearing aid allows elephants to communicate with each other on low frequencies covering vast distances.
• An elephant is an animal that does not sweat because it lacks sebaceous glands. Water treatments, mud baths and ear fanning help to lower body temperature.
• Elephants are easily tamed and trainable. In ancient times they were excellent labor force and fighting animals. Today, elephants are used as a means of transportation in impassable places.
• Adult elephants are practically invulnerable, lions and crocodiles are a danger to small elephants. The only enemy of elephants is a man who ruthlessly exterminates animals for meat, skin and bones. Barbaric fishing led to a sharp reduction in the population of elephants, the impossibility of seasonal migrations and limited the habitat to nature reserves and national parks.
• Domesticated elephants are quite good-natured and patient with the mistreatment of negligent owners. The tendency to emotional experiences and prolonged stress can lead to a nervous breakdown, when the elephant goes berserk and destroys everything in its reach.
• Elephants are among the most smart mammals on the planet. Excellent memory allows them to remember the wrongs caused by people and the places of important events. Emotional animals are able to rejoice, be sad, suffer and empathize with their loved ones.

As you know, elephants are the largest land animals on planet Earth. Elephants living in India are considered larger in size than African elephants.

For a better look at the elephant's place in the animal world, check out our amazing photos and learn some fascinating facts about these big-eared giants.

There is no creature in the world that looks like an elephant: does any animal have such huge ears and such a trunk? Why does this animal need a trunk? For water procedures, for smelling, nutrition and even for communication. Did you know that elephants are able to pick up certain sounds with their ears? audio frequencies that are only available to them.

Listen to the elephant's voice

Even being at a distance from each other, elephants can use their "locators" - their ears.

What else is remarkable about elephants?

It turns out that the average elephant takes at least 16 hours a day to absorb food. How much food can you eat in that amount of time? From 45 to 450 kilograms. As for the liquid, her elephant drinks from 100 to 300 liters per day. Here he is such a "water drinker"!

Elephants, both and - animals are very caring and attentive towards each other. They are very worried and mourn if a misfortune happens to one of the members of the herd. When a baby elephant is born in the "elephant family", everyone is ready to help in the care and upbringing of the baby.

How long do elephants live?

These giants are able to live up to the age of 70 years. The elephant sleeps very little - only four hours a day. But even this time spent in a dream gives the elephant a charge of vivacity and strength for a new day.

On the intelligence of elephants

Elephants are considered one of the smartest animals on planet Earth. They have a phenomenal memory: this applies to both the events in their lives and the people who interact with them (for example, in a circus or a zoo).

And now some photos of amazing animals - elephants.

Photos are taken from the Internet.