African elephant - description, habitat, lifestyle

Elephants are distinguished by their uniqueness and large overall characteristics. There are several varieties, today we will study African members of the family. They are bigger and more aggressive than their Indian counterparts, love to swim and know how to express emotions. A distinctive feature of elephants is that they can laugh, feel sad and even get bored. Some are happy to learn tricks, perform in circuses and draw. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, we will study all the features in order.

Description

1. Today, man knows several main types of proboscides, in particular, Indian and African elephants. It is believed that these mammals are the largest among all the animals on earth. However, this opinion is erroneous. Blue whales are considered the largest creatures, sperm whales occupy the second line and only elephants are located behind them.
2. Among land animals they are in fact the largest. After them go hippos.On withers, the discussed individuals can grow up to 4 m. With a mass of 7 tons. As for their Indian counterparts, they weigh about 5 tons at a height of 3 m on the withers. In Thailand and India, elephants are considered sacred, they are very carefully treated and protected. The elephant is a symbol of the Buddhists. He embodies spiritual wealth. If an albino elephant is born in Thailand, the king takes the animal into his care.
3. Today, sacred mammals occupy most of Africa and Asia (southeast). They like the tropical climate, as well as savanna. May be among the bushes. Not found elephants except in the deserts. A distinctive feature are large tusks. Individuals wield them in the search and production of food. They make their way, if the road was overwhelmed. Also mark territorial property. Throughout the life cycle, tusks continue to grow. Every year they are pulled out by 17 cm. The oldest representatives of the species may have tusks 3 m long.
4. Over the entire life cycle, the teeth change approximately 5 times. They grind off, they may fall out, new ones come to replace them.Ivory bone is highly valued, its pricing policy is indecently high. That is why animals are under threat. Elephants are protected by law, but poaching has always been and will be. People for the sake of profit destroy a valuable look. Virtually all members of the family who have big tusks have already been destroyed. There are many states in which the killing of elephants is a brutal crime entailing execution.

Special features

1. The inhabitants of Africa say that elephants have a mysterious place where they go to die in old age or because of illness. This is due to the fact that almost no one found the tusks of dead elephants. Nevertheless, experts have dispelled these conjectures. It has been proven that porcupines consume ivory tusks when they die. In this simple way they cover a deficit in beneficial mineral compounds. The elephant's trunk can reach a length of 7 m. It appeared due to the crossing of the nose and upper lip. The trunk concentrates about one hundred thousand muscle fibers. It helps individuals make sounds, drink, breathe.
2. With a trunk animals capture various objects and communicate with each other.In African individuals, there are several processes on the trunk. They are necessary for breaking grass, as well as breaking trees and branches. It is the animals that pour their trunk. Sometimes they look for dirty water, the clay subsequently dries out and scares off pests, creating a kind of barrier. Elephants are distinguished by large-sized ears. They are larger than the Indian representatives. Individuals do not have sebaceous glands, so they do not know how to sweat. The ears perform the function of heat transfer, when the body heats up, heat is released through them.
3. Of course, it is the auditory organs that animals use as a fan. They scare away annoying flies and other insects. It is noteworthy that the elephants are not able to jump or run. They learned to move hastily at the expense of a quick step. However, the structure of the kneecaps does not allow animals to run. A distinctive feature is the presence of special pads on the feet. They seem to be springy, so the animals move quietly, despite their weight category. These same pads tend to expand.
4. In animals, the skin thickness is more than 3 cm. Some believe that these individuals are cumbersome.But in time of need, they are able to accelerate to 30 kilometers per hour. Even in the marshy areas individuals go safely. They have excellent eyesight. But guided by their sense of smell and hearing. Also trust in touch. Eyelashes on the eyes are very dense and long, protect from dust. Elephants swim well and love to do it, at a speed of up to 70 kilometers per hour. Can swim without touching the limbs to the bottom for 6 hours or more. When individuals make a guttural sound, it is heard at 10 km.

Lifestyle

1. Often, considered individuals in the wild form herds. In each there can be about 15 animals. It is noteworthy that only females are present in such a family. And they are connected by kinship. In such a herd dominated matriarchy.
2. It is interesting that such wild animals do not tolerate loneliness. Therefore, they try to keep groups in order to constantly communicate with their relatives. It is noteworthy that the individuals represented remain faithful to their family until their death.
3. Members of such a group are always trying to help and care for each other. Animals even raise offspring together.Elephants always protect each other from danger and help weaker kinsmen.
4. As for the males, individuals lead mostly solitary lives. Most often males try to keep close to the group of females. In extremely rare cases, they can form their own herds.
5. It is noteworthy that young animals live in a group of up to 14 years. After that, the offspring may choose, they can stay with the family or form their own herd. Interestingly, the elephants show great sympathy for the deceased relative. The individuals are very sad.
6. Such elephants respect the remains of their relatives. They will never step on them and, if necessary, move them aside. Interestingly, elephants can even recognize their relative from the remains.
7. The rest of the life of such individuals is quite interesting. Such animals sleep no more than 4 hours a day. And during the holidays, they almost always take a vertical position. It is interesting that individuals gather in a circle and lean against each other.
8. Some older elephants try to lay their big tusks on a tree or termitary.It is noteworthy that the closest relatives of these individuals - Indian elephants, prefer to sleep just lying. They lie quietly on the ground while resting. Such animals are very intelligent and their brain structure is complicated.
9. The brain weight of an adult individual can reach up to 5 kg. Therefore, with precision we can say that in the wild animal world, elephants have the highest intelligence. The individuals represented are so clever that they can identify themselves in the mirror. Therefore, elephants have self-awareness.
10. Similar can only boast dolphins and monkeys. It is noteworthy that elephants and chimpanzees can use various tools exclusively. Numerous studies have shown that the individuals in question use a branch from a tree as a fly swatter. Elephants have an excellent memory. Such animals memorize various places and people with whom they communicate.

Breeding

1. As for the breeding season, the mating season does not have any serious time frame. But there is a confirmed fact that in the rainy season, the birth rate of elephants increases significantly.The time of estrus in females lasts only a couple of days. At this time, she shouts attracts the male.
2. The pair is formed for several weeks. Only in such a period of time does the female sometimes move away from the herd. An interesting fact is that among male elephants there are homosexuals. The problem is that the female can mate only once a year. In addition, the pregnancy lasts a long time.
3. In turn, males often need a sexual partner. Therefore, they have nowhere to go, how to start a same-sex relationship. The female continues to bear offspring for almost 2 years. In most cases, only 1 baby is born. In this case, when the female is about to give birth, all family members are present. They are always ready to help.
4. As soon as the birth is successful, the whole herd begins to loudly trumpet, proclaim and shout that there is a replenishment in their family. Interestingly, elephants appear weighing more than 100 kg. Their height is about 1 m. It is noteworthy that the elephantfish is completely devoid of teeth. Milk tusks begin to grow only at the age of 2 years. Then the molars gradually appear.
5. On the day, newborn babies consume about 10 liters. mother's milk. The first 2 years kids only eat them.Sometimes elephants gradually try food of plant origin. For several years, kids learn to use the trunk. In fact, this is a very difficult job.

Elephants are unique and very interesting representatives of animals in the wild. Such individuals live mainly in herds. Each family member will always protect the other. Elephants value such relationships and respect each other.

Video: African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)