9 things you must know about Elephants

 

1. THEY ARE THE WORLD'S MOST GIGANTIC LAND ANIMAL.

The African elephant is the world's biggest land mammal, standing up to 3 metres tall and weighing up to 6 tonnes on average. Males attain maximum size between the ages of 35-40, which is more than half their lifespan, considering wild elephants may live up to 60-70 years. Adults are not the only creatures with enormous size; calves are as well. At birth, elephants may weigh up to 120 kilogrammes (about 19 stone).

2. ONE CAN USE THEIR EARS TO DIFFERENTIATE THE TWO SPECIES

Elephants are divided into two subspecies: African and Asian. African elephant ears are significantly bigger and formed like the African continent, whereas Asian elephant ears are fashioned like the Indian subcontinent. Additionally, there is a trunk distinction: African elephants have two 'fingers' at the tip of their trunks, whereas Asian elephants have just one.

3. THEIR TUSKS ARE ACTUALLY TEETH.

Elephant tusks are really bigger incisor teeth that develop at the age of two in elephants. Throughout their lifetimes, their tusks continue to develop. Tusks are utilised to help in digesting by removing bark off trees and burrowing into roots. They are also used to defend against predators. However, these magnificent tusks frequently pose a hazard to elephants. They are crafted from ivory, a highly coveted material. Continue reading to learn why elephants face extinction.

4. THEIR SKIN IS DEEP

The skin of an elephant is about 2.5cm thick. Their skin's folds and creases can store up to 10 times the amount of water than flat skin does, which aids in cooling. They take regular baths in dust and dirt to keep their skin clean and protect themselves from sunburn.

5. THEY CONNECT VIBRATIONALLY

Elephants communicate in a number of ways, including trumpet sounds (many of which are imperceptible to humans), body language, touch, and fragrance. Seismic signals, which are sounds that cause vibrations in the earth and may be sensed by a person's bones, can also be utilised for communication.

6. THEIR TRUNKS ARE EXCELLENT AT WHAT THEY DO

The trunk of an elephant contains around 150,000 muscle units. Asian elephants have been observed picking up a peanut, shelling it, blowing away the shell, and eating the nut with their trunks, which are possibly the most sensitive organs known to any mammal. Elephants drink water from their trunks, which may hold up to 8 litres of water. When they swim, they utilise their trunks as a snorkel.

7. ELEPHANTS ARE PERMANENTLY HUNGRY

Elephants require up to 150kg of food each day, about equivalent to 375 tins of baked beans, however around half of this amount may pass through the body undigested. They devour so much food that they may go up to three-quarters of the day without eating.

8. OVER THE LAST CENTURY, APPROXIMATELY 90% OF AFRICAN ELEPHANTS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED.

Around 90% of African elephants were killed out during the previous century, primarily due to the ivory trade, leaving an estimated 415,000 wild elephants today. Asian elephants are also under danger, having declined by at least 50% in the prior three generations. There are around 45,000 of them remaining in the wild. Asian elephant populations are finding it more difficult to follow their historic migration routes in search of water, feeding grounds, and breeding grounds as their habitat changes, fragments, and is destroyed as a result of human development and agriculture, and they come into frequent and dangerous contact with humans.

9. AN ELEPHANT REMEMBERS EVERYTHING.

The elephant's temporal lobe (the region of the brain associated with memory) is bigger and thicker than the human's, which explains why elephants are said to "never forget."