11+ Things You Need To Know About Elephants | Engrossing facts behind Elephant

11+ Things You Need To Know About Elephants | Engrossing facts behind Elephant  

Elephants are mammals of the family Elephantidae and the largest existing land animals. Three species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant.

Lets see some facts behind this giant animal :

• The word “elephant” comes from the Greek word “elephas” which means “ivory”... The average lifespan of an elephant is from 50 to 70 years. Male African elephants can reach 3m tall and weigh between 4,000 -7,500kg. Asian elephants are slightly smaller, reaching 2.7m tall and weighing 3,000– 6,000kg.

• The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is a subspecies of the Asian elephant found on the Asian mainland. Other subspecies of Asian elephants are found on the islands of Sri Lanka and Sumatra. Indian elephants are considered an endangered species. 

• Sadly, elephants are in trouble. Asian elephants also face threats from tourist attractions where people pay to ride on their backs or paint pictures on them.

• Elephant families are led by females. The elephant's social structure is quite different to other animals.They don't need much sleep. They are emotional creatures also their memory is impressive.

•  African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. They are slightly larger than their Asian cousins and can be identified by their larger ears that look somewhat like the continent of Africa. (Asian elephants have smaller, rounded ears.)

• An elephant's tail can be as long as 1.3m and is tipped by a series of very coarse, wire-like hairs. They have an extraordinary degree of control over tail movement and use them as a fly swat against insects.

•  An elephant may also spray water on its ears, which also will cool down the blood before it returns to the rest of the body. Large ears also trap more sound waves than smaller ones. The ears of an African elephant are enormous. Each ear is about six feet from top to bottom and five feet across. 

•  A male elephant can grow up to 4 metres in height and weigh up to 7 tonnes; whilst their females counterparts can still weigh in at a mere 3.5 tonnes. To feed an animal of such gigantic proportions takes a lot of food.

•  The male's head is broader between the eyes and forehead, whereas the female's forehead forms a sharper angle. These disparities are more pronounced on adult elephants than younger elephants, where it can be more challenging to identify these nuances. 

•  But the elephant's fear has more to do with the element of surprise than the mouse itself. Theories abound that elephants are afraid of mice because the tiny creatures nibble on their feet or can climb up into their trunks.

•  Elephants consume grasses, small plants, bushes, fruit, twigs, tree bark, and roots. Tree bark is a favorite food source for elephants. It contains calcium and roughage, which aids digestion.

FAQ

What's so special about elephant?

Ans : They are highly intelligent animals with complex emotions, feelings, compassion and self-awareness (elephants are one of very few species to recognize themselves in a mirror!). The gestation period of an elephant is 22 months. That's almost 2 years, the longest pregnancy of any mammal

How thick is an elephant's skin?

Ans : Elephant skin can be up to 3.8 cm (1.5 in.) thick in certain places. However, the skin is sensitive to touch, detecting insects and changes in its environment. The combination of thick skin and a thin layer of fat beneath the skin enable the elephant to tolerate cold temperatures.

Do elephants teeth?

Ans : Apart from two tusks (if present), elephants have only four other teeth in a set. While people's teeth grow either up or down from the jawbone, an elephant's molars grow in from the back of the jaw. There is one tooth for each quadrant that moves towards the front and is replaced when worn down

Are elephants smart?

Ans : Elephants are exceptionally smart creatures. They have the largest brain of any land animal, and three times as many neurons as humans. While many of these neurons exist to control the elephant's large and dexterous body, these creatures have demonstrated their impressive mental capabilities time and time again.

How big is an elephant's brain?

Ans : Elephants have many engaging features, from their incredibly dexterous trunks to their memory abilities and complex social lives. But there is much less discussion of their brains, even though it stands to reason that such a large animal has a pretty big brain (about 12 pounds).

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