Indian elephant brief description. Elephant - description, species, where it lives, what it eats, photos

Niramin - Feb 14th, 2016

Indian or asian elephant(lat. Elephas maximus) - one of the largest land animals on the planet, only the African one is larger savannah elephant. The lifespan of these animals is 70 years. The weight of males reaches 5.4 tons with a height of about 3 m. The thickness of the skin is 2.5 cm, but in the area of the ears and on the muzzle it is very thin and is often attacked by insects. Since there are no sweat glands on the skin, the elephant is forced to escape the heat, solar radiation and dehydration with mud baths.

The Indian elephant differs from its African counterpart not only in body size, but also in the size of its tusks, which grow only in males. In addition, elephants have 4 chewing teeth, which change six times during life. When the last of them wear out, the animal dies from exhaustion.

The habitat of Indian elephants covers Sri Lanka, Sumatra, India, southern China, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Subspecies of the Asian elephant include the Indian, Sri Lankan, Sumatran and Bornean elephants. They live most often in tropical and subtropical forests, in which bamboo grows. IN summer period elephants go to the mountains, where they can reach heights of up to 3500 m.

Elephants have a developed sense of smell and hearing, but poor eyesight: they see poorly at a distance of more than 15 m. When communicating over long distances, they use infrasound.

In order to get enough food, an elephant needs up to 150 - 300 kg of fresh plant mass daily. The diet includes grass, bark, rhizomes, leaves, flowers and fruits of plants. In captivity, elephants happily eat vegetables and fruits. IN wildlife prone to ruining agricultural crops. The daily need for water is 100 - 200 liters, so elephants have to live near water bodies and constantly migrate in search of new pastures.

Elephants live family groups, consisting of a female and her children: adult females and male cubs. Adult males are mostly solitary, but the oldest of them can migrate with family groups. Puberty in males it occurs at 16 years of age. Pregnancy in females lasts on average 20 months.

Indian elephants are easy to tame and amenable to training. In Asia, they are often used for heavy work, as a means of transportation. They make brilliant circus performers.

Gallery of photos of Indian elephants:

Photo: Asian elephant swimming in the water.

Video: Moscow Zoo, elephants bathing. Asian (Indian) elephants. May 2015

Video: Elephants destroy Indian tea plantations

Video: In the kingdom of elephants Secrets of Indian wildlife

Squad - Proboscis

Family - Elephantids

Genus/Species - Elephas maximus. Indian elephant or Asian elephant

Basic data:

DIMENSIONS

Length: 5.5-6.4 m.

Height: 2.5-3 m.

Weight: up to 5,000 kg.

Tusk length: Unlike the Indian elephant, the tusks are relatively small - no longer than 1.5 meters and weigh 20-25 kilograms. Only males have tusks, and sometimes there are elephants without tusks at all, these are called “makhna”.

REPRODUCTION

Puberty: from 8-12 years old.

Mating season: during the rainy season.

Pregnancy: 20-21.5 months.

Number of cubs: usually 1.

LIFESTYLE

Habits: male Indian elephants (see photo) usually live alone, females with cubs - in herds.

What it eats: grass and leaves, fruits and tree branches, bark and roots.

Sounds: an irritated animal trumpets loudly.

Lifespan: about 60 years old.

RELATED SPECIES

Subspecies of the Indian elephant: Ceylon, Indian, Sumatran and Malayan elephants.

Your funny animal friends. Indian elephant Eddie. Video (00:22:01)

The Indian elephant is a social animal. Elephants live in herds, the individual members of which staunchly protect each other. In case of danger, adult animals stand in a circle, with the cubs placed in its center. If for any reason an elephant calf becomes orphaned, he is necessarily adopted by another female from the same herd.

REPRODUCTION

During mating season male Indian elephants become sexually active as their bodies produce large number hormones. At this time they can be very aggressive. Special skin glands of males, which are located between the ear and eye, secrete a black secretion. The state of sexual arousal of males is called “must”. Males during the period of must are very dangerous, they can even attack a person. The mating season of the Indian elephant occurs in different seasons of the year, but most often occurs during the heaviest rainy season. Females are usually ready for mating in the second half During this period, the pregnancy of an Indian elephant lasts up to 21.5 months. After pregnancy, the cubs are born at the beginning of the rainy season, when there is more food available. The female who gives birth is often assisted by other females. The weight of the newborn baby is usually 90-100 kg. hours after birth, the elephant calf cannot stand on its feet, so it is cared for by its mother along with other females. Newborn elephant calves often become prey for lions, tigers and hyenas. In the first years of life, the elephant calf grows very quickly after about 15 years, although it continues. throughout their lives, young males experience another growth spurt between 20 and 30 years of age.

LIFESTYLE

The growth of the Indian elephant occurs throughout its life, so the eldest individual is the largest animal in the herd. Despite their massive body, elephants move almost silently. There is a special mass on the sole of the elephant that springs when the elephant rests on its foot, while the sole expands and the supporting surface increases. The Indian elephant is a forest dweller. It prefers light-colored forests with a dense undergrowth of bamboo.

In summer, elephants climb high into the mountains. In the jungle, where individual members of the herd could get lost, elephants constantly call to each other. Individuals of both sexes live separately almost the entire year. Females keep family herds.

WHAT DOES IT EAT?

The Indian elephant has a very mobile trunk, with its help it picks leaves, fruits and young shoots of trees. The elephant tears off the soft bark of young trees with its tusks, and then takes it with its trunk and puts it in its mouth. In one day, an Indian elephant eats about 150 kg of food.

The trunk was formed as a result of the fusion of the nose with the upper lip. It performs several functions at once. The elephant uses its trunk as an olfactory and tactile organ, feeling objects with it like a hand. With its help, the elephant pulls out tufts of grass with roots, which it shakes off the ground, hitting it on its front legs. An Asian elephant at a watering hole takes 5-10 liters of water into its trunk, closes the holes at its end and pours the water into its mouth.

The trunk is a very important organ for an elephant. If the animal injures it or for any other reason loses the ability to use it, it will be forced to starve.

INDIAN ELEPHANT AND MAN

Indian elephants have long been used by humans as riding and draft animals. Elephants take part in hunting and lavish temple ceremonies.
A large number of Indian elephants are purchased by zoos and circuses around the world. Nowadays, the number of Indian elephants is less than 30 thousand individuals.

INTERESTING INFORMATION. DID YOU KNOW THAT...

The Indian elephant willingly bathes and swims well. It often uses its trunk to breathe underwater.
At the end of the trunk there are nostrils and finger-like projections. The Indian elephant has 1 protrusion on its trunk, while the African elephant has 2.
In difficult life situations, an elephant cries like a human. Elephants that cry can also be observed in captivity.
Elephants make low frequency sounds that humans cannot hear. Other elephants hear the voice of their relative at a distance of 19 km.
Elephants are the only animals on Earth that “bury” their dead. When a group of elephants comes across a skeleton, each animal, after sniffing the bones, takes a rib or thigh with its trunk and hides it in the depressions of the soil.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE INDIAN ELEPHANT. DESCRIPTION

Origin: The Indian (aka Asian) elephant appeared in Asia 17 million years ago. India is cooler and more humid than African savannas, so the Indian elephant is not as big as the African elephant, and it does not have the same big ears. In general, a comparison shows that, despite the similarity in appearance, Indian and African elephant They have serious anatomical differences. Elephants living in India differ from those living in Africa primarily in size. The mass of the Indian elephant does not exceed 5 tons, and its height reaches 2.5-3 meters.

Trunk: the most characteristic feature of an elephant. It was formed as a result of the fusion of the nose with the upper lip. The elephant uses it to pluck leaves, fruits and tree branches and to distinguish odors. With its help the animal breathes. The trunk also functions as a snorkel during bathing. The trunk is not like that of the African elephant.

Head: the skull in front is strongly flattened, while in the African elephant, on the contrary, the frontal bone is very convex.

Tusks: If the African elephant is famous for its tusks, then the Indian elephant has much smaller ones, the largest are 1.5 meters long, weighing from 20 to 25 kg.

Ears: the Indian elephant's are small, elongated, and sharp at the ends. In the same way, you can find differences in other organs, for example, molars, vertebrae - there is a different number of them.

- Habitat of the Indian elephant

WHERE DOES IT LIVE?

At first, the Indian elephant lived in India and South- East Asia. Today, it is found only in the mountainous regions of India, Indochina, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia and Southern China.

SAVE

The Indian elephant population is approximately 30,000 individuals. It is in danger of extinction in all natural habitats.

National Geographic: Secrets of Wild India. In the kingdom of elephants / Elephant Kingdom. Video (00:48:02)

Home to more than a billion people, India also has wild areas inhabited by giants, predators and exotic creatures. Legendary naturalist Sir David Attenborough in the next film in the series

Indian Elephant. Video (00:01:37)

Elephant riding in India, GOA - Indian elephant. Video (00:00:51)

Indian elephant in the backyard. Video (00:01:04)

I was walking along some roundabout paths to have lunch and with my peripheral vision I noticed something big and gray, or rather I even felt something powerful. Since then I’ve been stopping by to feed them bananas.

The Indian elephant is the largest animal domesticated by humans. In the countries of South and Southeast In Asia, elephants are revered for their strength and intelligence. In the Hindu pantheon, the elephant-headed god Ganesha is the personification of wisdom. It brings good luck and prosperity to the house.

Relationships with a person

The history of interaction between humans and the Asian elephant goes back centuries. Unlike the untamed African brothers, the Asian giant found common language with people 5500 years ago. Animals are easily tamed and quickly adapt to new living conditions. IN Ancient India they constituted a powerful fighting force that was used during battles.

IN peacetime people used the strength of huge mammals to carry out heavy work. Animals participate in logging. They carry felled trees, planks are laid, barges are loaded. The carrying capacity of 1 animal is 350 kg. With the introduction of mechanization, the number of working elephants in the Asian region is gradually decreasing. However, in the difficult, marshy areas of India, elephants still play an important role in economic work.

In Thailand and India, elephants are trained to ride. In the old days, the rulers of India, the Rajas, rode elephants. Now riding on the back of a giant animal has become a popular attraction for tourists. Passengers climb the ladder on the back of a huge animal and are placed in a special box called gaudha. It accommodates up to 4 people. Drives an unusual vehicle - a driver (mahout). Using a bamboo stick, he gives commands and directs movement.

Mounted elephants in India participate in religious ceremonies. During the solemn procession, figures of deities and sacred relics are carried through the streets on their backs.

Albino elephants with a rare light skin color are considered sacred animals. In Thailand, white elephants are traditionally the property of the monarch, and the state is colorfully called the “Land of the White Elephant.”

Smart animals have learned to demonstrate their talents in different ways. Asian elephants perform acts in circus arenas, play football, and paint pictures.

However, people do not always treat giant animals favorably. Wild elephants often trample crops and destroy plantings of sugar cane, rice, and bananas. Therefore, the villagers are fighting against them. The population decline is also influenced by the shooting of animals for their tusks.

The total number of Asian elephants is estimated at approximately 50 thousand individuals. In the mid-80s, the animal was taken under protection and included in the International Red Book. Despite the measures taken and the organization of nature reserves, the number of elephants in the wild is steadily declining by 2–3% per year.

Geography and numbers

Wild elephants live in subtropical and tropical zones Asian subcontinent. They can be found in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Indonesia. The main habitat is dense forests. In the foothills of the Himalayas Indian elephants in summer rise to a height of more than 3 thousand meters above sea level and reach the snow line. Giant mammals have also adapted to life in wetlands and thrive on the banks of water bodies.

Asian elephants are usually divided into subspecies:

Indian;
Ceylonese;
Malay;
Sumatran.

The most rare species live in the Sunda Islands. The number of Malayan elephants is less than 500 individuals, and the Sumatran elephant is even smaller. Ceylon variety from the island of Sri Lanka has approximately 2.5 thousand copies. India has the largest number of elephants - over 3-5 thousand animals. Particularly famous for the abundance of giants Indian state Uttar Pradesh, home to an estimated 400 Indian elephants.

Appearance

Elephas maximus or Asian elephant belongs to the family of proboscis animals. Its closest relative lives in Africa. Asian view differs from its brother in smaller size:

height- 2.5–3.5 m;
length body - 5.4 - 6.4 m (tail 1.2 -1.5 m);
weight- 2,700 kg (female) and 5,400 (male).

The body is massive and voluminous. The skin is wrinkled, dense (thickness 2.5 cm). The most tender areas are inside the ear and around the mouth. Prevails dark color skin - from brown to gray. Albinos with yellow eyes and fair skin are rare. Coarse, sparse hair grows on the body.

Legs are short. The foot ends in hooves: there are 5 of them on the front legs, 4 on the hind legs.

The head is large with a skull flattened in the frontal part. The ears are relatively small, in the shape of a rectangle elongated downward. Feature of all proboscideans - fusion of the nose with the upper lip. The trunk performs the functions of the organ of respiration, smell and touch. With its help, the animal obtains food, drinks water, and bathes. The trunk ends in one finger-like process.

Tusks are smaller in size than African species. Their length is maximum 1.5 m, and their weight is up to 25 kg. Unlike the elephants living on the Dark Continent, only male Asian elephants have tusks. Among the Ceylon variety, so-called “makhna” are often found - males without tusks.

Animals have 4 molars, which appear at 15–16 years of age to replace milk teeth. Every 12 years, teeth fall out and new ones grow. Renewal occurs four times throughout life. After loss of the last teeth, the animal cannot eat properly and dies from hunger. On average, the life expectancy of Indian elephants is 60–65 years. Cases of longevity of individual individuals up to 80 years have been recorded.

Features of biology and behavior

Each group of elephants has its own territory in which they live. Animals trample paths along the routes of their constant movement. Elephants feel dangerous places and try not to get close to them. Indian elephants walk almost silently. They have a special springy mass on the soles of their feet. Thanks to it, the area of the foot increases and the step becomes quiet.

Indian elephants love water. They enjoy bathing and know how to swim. They often arrange a shower for themselves using their trunk. The trunk can hold up to 10 liters of water at a time. In hot climates, water is necessary for animals to maintain normal functioning of the body. An Indian elephant absorbs 180 liters of liquid per day. However, if necessary, he can go without drinking for several days.

Asian elephants feeding grass and leaves. Daily norm feed 100–150 kg. The lack of minerals is compensated by eating the soil.
Elephants communicate between themselves using low-frequency sounds that are not perceived by human hearing. Signals are sent over a distance of up to 19 km.
Elephants have developed lacrimal glands, so animals can cry. Crying elephants can be observed in zoos.
In the wild Asian elephants have no enemies. For single people, an attack by a large person can be dangerous. predatory cats(panthers, leopards, Bengal tigers).

An amazing feature of the behavior of elephants is their attitude towards deceased relatives. They are the only mammals other than humans that practice burying remains. If the skeleton of a deceased brother is discovered, the elephants carefully separate its bones and bury them in the soil.

Social structure

In the wild, Indian elephants live in groups of 10–20 individuals. Typically this is one big family. It is dominated by adult females (50%). Adult males make up a third of the group. Young animals account for about 20%. Within the herd there is a strict hierarchical structure based on the principles of matriarchy. The entire herd is managed by an elderly, experienced female.

In times of danger or during childbirth, the group forms a ring. The smallest and weakest are placed in the center. Not a single predator can break through such protection. Relatives protect the young mother and the cub until it gets back on its feet. In the elephant herd there is mutual assistance and mutual assistance. Elephant calves can receive food from any lactating female. If the baby's mother dies, another elephant takes him in to raise him.

Males spend most of their time alone. They unite with females only at the onset of the mating season. Occasionally, several adult animals may form a temporary group.

Reproduction

Indian elephants reach sexual maturity at 12–16 years of age. During the mating season, the level of testosterone in the blood increases sharply in males. The state of sexual arousal is called “mast” or “must”. Animals spend time in active search females ready to mate. When excited, Asian elephants behave extremely aggressively and fight for the right to own a female. The duration of the mating season is 60 days. The interval between pregnancies in females is from 4 to 5 years.

The Indian elephant bears offspring for a long period of 18 to 22 months. Mostly one baby is born. The birth of two babies at the same time is very rare. The newborn weighs 100 kg and reaches 1 m in height.

The new member of the herd is greeted by the rest of the group. They take turns approaching the baby and touching him with their trunk. The baby elephant gets on its feet 4 hours after birth, at this time the baby is most vulnerable and can become easy prey for predators. Therefore, all members of the group try to protect him. For two years, the cub feeds on mother's milk, and then switches to plant foods.

Upon reaching the age of 7–8 years, males leave the parent herd and begin to live independently. A 20-year-old Indian elephant is considered fully grown.

Where do elephants live?

Elephants are the largest modern land animals. They are peaceful vegetarians, but due to their impressive size they can fend for themselves. Adult elephants have virtually no enemies in nature. Elephants are very smart animals.

There are two types of elephants: African and Indian (Asian).

African elephants live throughout the African continent, they live mainly in savannas, but some individuals prefer tropical forests, south of the Sahara Desert.

Indian elephants live in the jungles of India and in other countries of Southeast Asia.

How are Indian elephants different from African elephants?

1. Indian elephants are 2.5 - 3 m tall and about 6 m long. African elephants are much larger and grow up to 7.5 m in length, reaching 4 meters in height.
2. African elephants have large fan ears, while Indian elephants have ears of more modest size.
3. African elephants have two processes at the tip of their trunk - “fingers”. Indians have only one “finger” at the end of their trunk.
4. The Indian elephant has the highest point of its body at the top of its head, while the African elephant has its head below its shoulders.
Indian elephants are easily tamed and have helped humans since ancient times. In ancient times, Indian elephants were even taught military training. Now in some Asian countries, working elephants are valued above modern machines; they lift heavy objects and are used as transport in impenetrable jungles.

Knowing these differences, you can determine which elephant is African and which is Indian.

Indian elephants

The largest land mammal is rightfully the elephant.

Elephant - description and characteristics

The majestic animal has practically no enemies and does not attack anyone, being a herbivore. Today they can be found in the wild, in national parks and nature reserves, in circuses and zoos, and there are also domesticated individuals. A lot is known about them: how many years elephants live, what elephants eat, how long an elephant’s pregnancy lasts. And yet secrets remain.

This animal cannot be confused with any other, since hardly any of these sizes terrestrial mammals can boast. The height of this giant can reach up to 4.5 meters, and its weight can reach up to 7 tons. The largest is the African savannah giant. Indian counterparts are somewhat lighter: weight up to 5.5 tons for males and 4.5 tons for females. Forest elephants are considered the lightest - up to 3 tons. In nature, there are also dwarf varieties that do not reach 1 ton.

The elephant's skeleton is strong and allows it to withstand such an impressive weight. The body is massive and muscular.

The animal's head is large, with a protruding frontal area. Its decoration is its movable ears, which serve as a heat regulator and a means of communication between fellow tribesmen. When attacking a herd, the animals begin to actively move their ears, scaring away enemies.

The legs are also unique. Contrary to the popular belief that animals are noisy and clumsy, these giants walk almost silently. The feet have thick fat pads that soften the step. A distinctive feature is the ability to bend its knees; the animal has two kneecaps.

The animals have a small tail ending in a non-furry brush. Usually the cub holds on to it in order to keep up with the mother.

A distinctive feature is the elephant's trunk, the mass of which in an elephant can reach up to 200 kg. This organ is a fused nose and upper lip. Consisting of more than 100 thousand strong muscles and tendons, the elephant's trunk has incredible flexibility and strength. They use it to pick off vegetation and put it in their mouth. Also, the elephant's trunk is a weapon with which it defends itself and fights its opponent.

The giants also draw in water through their trunks, which they then put into their mouths or pour over. Elephants up to one year old have little control over their proboscis. For example, they cannot drink with it, but kneel down and drink with their mouth. But they hold tightly to their mother’s tail with their trunk from the first hours of their life.

Elephant vision and hearing

Relative to the size of the animal, the eyes are small, and these giants do not differ in acute vision. But they have excellent hearing and are able to recognize sounds even at very low frequencies.

It is believed that animals hear thunder at a distance of up to 100 km and can accurately locate water located at a great distance by noise.

Leather

The body of a large mammal is covered with thick gray or brown skin, mottled with many wrinkles and folds. Sparse hard bristles on it are observed only in cubs. In adults it is practically absent.

The color of the animal directly depends on its habitat, since elephants often sprinkle themselves with earth and clay to protect themselves from insects. Therefore, some representatives appear brown and even pink.

Among giants, albinos are very rare, but still found. Such animals are considered iconic in Siam. White elephants were taken specifically for royal families.

Jaws

The decoration of the giant is its tusks: the older the animal, the longer they are. But not everyone is the same size. Asian female elephant, for example, is completely devoid of such decorations by nature, just like rare males. The tusks fit into the jaws and are considered incisors.

How many years an elephant lives can be determined by its teeth, which wear down over the years, but at the same time new ones appear, growing behind the old ones. It is known how many teeth an elephant has in its mouth. As a rule, 4 radicals.

It was the tusks of these giants that were very highly valued, which led to the brutal extermination of proboscideans. Now hunting is strictly prohibited: the animal is listed in the Red Book. And the places where the elephant lives are declared nature reserves.

Indian elephant and African elephant have external differences, we’ll talk about them in the sequel.

Types of elephants

Nowadays, there are only two species of proboscis: the African elephant and the Indian elephant (otherwise known as the Asian elephant). African ones, in turn, are divided into savannahs living along the equator (the largest representatives are up to 4.5 m in height and 7 tons of weight) and forest ones (its dwarf and swamp subspecies), which prefer to live in tropical forests.

Despite the undeniable similarity of these animals, they still have a number of differences.

It is very simple to answer the question of which elephant is larger in size and weight: Indian or African. The one that lives in Africa: individuals weigh 1.5-2 tons more, and are much taller.
The female Asian elephant does not have tusks; all African elephants have tusks.
The species differ slightly in the shape of the body: the Asian ones have a higher rear part relative to the level of the head.
African animal is different large size ears.
trunks African giants somewhat thinner.
By its nature, the Indian elephant is more prone to domestication; it is almost impossible to tame its African counterpart.

It is Asian animals that are often accepted into circuses for their obedience and good disposition. Basically, these are sick and abandoned cubs rescued from poachers.

When crossing African and Indian proboscis, no offspring are obtained, which indicates differences at the genetic level.

The lifespan of an elephant depends on living conditions, the availability of sufficient food and water. It is believed that the African elephant lives somewhat longer than its counterpart.

Ancient relatives of proboscis appeared on earth approximately 65 million years ago, during the Paleocene era. At this time, dinosaurs still walked the planet.

Scientists have found that the first representatives lived on the territory of modern Egypt and were more like a tapir. There is another theory, according to which the current giants descended from a certain animal that lived in Africa and almost all of Eurasia.

Research revealing how long the elephant has lived on our planet points to the existence of its ancestors.

Deinotherium. They appeared approximately 58 million years ago and died out 2.5 million years ago. Outwardly they were similar to modern animals, but were noted for their smaller size and shorter trunk.
Gomphotherium. They appeared on earth approximately 37 million years ago and died out 10 thousand years ago. Their bodies resembled the current long-nosed giants, but they had 4 small tusks, twisted in pairs up and down, and a flat jaw. At some stage of development, the tusks of these animals became significantly larger.
Mamutids (mastodons). Appeared 10-12 million years ago. They had dense hair on their body, long tusks and a trunk. They became extinct 18 thousand years ago, with the advent of primitive people.
Mammoths. The first representatives of elephants. They appeared from mastodons approximately 1.6 million years ago. They became extinct about 10 thousand years ago. They were slightly taller than modern animals, their body was covered with long and dense hair, and they had large downward tusks.

Mammoths belong to the same order of elephants as modern giants.

The African elephant and the Indian elephant are the only representatives of the proboscis order existing on Earth.

Where do elephants live?

African elephant lives south of the desert Sahara, on the territory of many African countries: Congo, Zambia, Kenya, Namibia, Somalia, Sudan and others. Enough hot climate The places where the elephant lives are to his liking. More often they choose savannas, where there is enough vegetation and water can be found. Animals practically do not enter deserts and impenetrable tropical forests.

IN lately The giants' habitat has shrunk. Places where elephants live are turned into national reserves to preserve the population of these animals, protecting them from poachers.

But the Indian elephant, on the contrary, prefers forested areas of India, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Laos and Sri Lanka. He feels comfortable among dense bushes and thickets of bamboo. This Asian elephant once lived in almost all areas of southern Asia, but now populations have declined greatly.

The Indian elephant can live even in inaccessible jungles. It is in this area that the largest number of wild specimens remain. But determining how many years an elephant lives can be quite difficult.

The lifespan of an elephant in the wild is significantly shorter than that of its domesticated counterparts or those living in zoos or national reserves. This is due to the difficult conditions of the places where the elephant lives, with diseases and the brutal extermination of giants.

Scientists are still debating how long a wild elephant lives and what their life expectancy is in captivity.

Undoubtedly, how many years an elephant lives is determined by the species to which the mammal belongs. African savannas live the longest: among them there are individuals whose age reached 80 years. African forest proboscideans are somewhat smaller - 65-70 years. An Asian elephant at home or in zoos and national parks can live 55-60 years, in natural environment Animals that have reached 50 years of age are considered to be long-lived.

How long elephants live depends on how the animal is cared for. A wounded and sick animal will not be able to live long. Sometimes even minor damage to the trunk or foot causes death. Under human supervision, many diseases of giants can be easily treated, which can significantly prolong life.

In their natural environment, animals have practically no enemies. Beasts of Prey They attack only stray cubs and sick individuals.

Being herbivores, proboscis spends more than 15 hours a day in search of food. To maintain their enormous body mass, they have to eat 40 to 400 kg of vegetation per day.

What elephants eat directly depends on their habitat: it can be grass, leaves, young shoots. The elephant's trunk picks them off and sends them into the mouth, where the food is thoroughly ground.

In captivity, the elephant eats hay (up to 20 kg per day), vegetables, especially carrots and cabbage, variety of fruits, grain.

How many years an elephant lives depends on what elephants eat. Zoo visitors often feed animals contraindicated food. Huge mammals are strictly prohibited from eating sweets.

Sometimes wild animals wander into the fields of local residents and happily eat the harvest of corn, cane, and grain.

The animals are very social: they form herds, led by the oldest and most experienced female. She takes her relatives to food places and keeps order.

Scientists have come to interesting conclusions. All individuals are relatives. As a rule, these are females and immature males. Grown-up boys leave their families and often live alone or in the company of similar bachelors. They approach family herds only when they are ready to have offspring and at the call of the females.

Animals have very developed family instincts: everyone has their own role. The whole family is involved in raising children. In the event of an attack by predators, the elephant calves are surrounded by a tight ring and the enemies are driven away. Unfortunately, how many years an elephant lives depends on whether the family was able to preserve all of its offspring. Babies quite often die from disease, weakness and from attacks by predators (lions, cheetahs, hyenas, crocodiles).

Giants require large amounts of water to survive. They can drink up to 200 liters per day, so the animals try to stay close to bodies of water. In dry times, they know how to dig wells, which saves not only themselves, but also many other animals.

Elephant mammals are very peaceful animals. Cases of them attacking other animals are extremely rare. They can only suffer from them when the giants, frightened by something, trample those who get in their way.

Old animals go to specific place, « elephant cemetery", where many relatives died, and there they spend their last days. The rest of the family sees them off and says a very touching goodbye.

Animals become sexually mature in different ways: males at the age of 14-15 years, females at 12-13.

Sometimes this age may vary depending on the amount of food and health status.

Several suitors come to the call of the female and her scent; they sometimes arrange fights, during which it is determined which male will remain. The elephant watches the contenders and after the end of the battle leaves with the winner. Elephants mating occurs away from the herd, after which the couple can walk together for several more days. Then the male leaves and the female returns to her family.

It’s quite interesting how long pregnant elephants walk. Elephants carry their cubs for quite a long time: 22-24 months. An elephant's gestation period is counted from the moment of mating. Pregnant females live with their herd, and males never appear nearby.

Compared to other mammals, elephant pregnancy lasts a record time: they carry their young for almost two years. The large size of females sometimes makes it difficult to see them right away interesting situation, therefore, it is possible to calculate how long elephants have been bearing their cubs only from the moment of mating.

An elephant's pregnancy usually ends with the birth of one, or less often two, elephant calves, which weigh up to a hundredweight. Expectant mother leaves the herd, accompanied by an experienced female, and gives birth to a baby, which after 2-3 hours can stand on its feet and suck milk. A new mother returns to her herd with a baby elephant holding her tail.

Elephants carry their young for a very long time, so their populations, subject to severe extermination, for a long time were in danger of extinction.

How many years a male elephant lives in a herd is determined by the arrival of sexual maturity. Young males leave their families and live alone. But the females remain in the herd until the end of their days.

Among elephants, as among people, there are left-handers and right-handers. This can be understood by the tusks: the tusk will be longer on the side on which it works more often.

These majestic animals are often found on the coats of arms of states (Congo, India). The image of a giant mammal was also on the family coat of arms of the famous great-grandfather of A.S. Pushkin, Abram Hannibal.
Elephants are so skilled with their trunks that they can easily pick up a tiny or fragile object from the ground without damaging it. With the same trunk they will carry the felled tree to the desired location.
Some giants paint paintings that have a very high price.
Trauma to the trunk most often leads to the death of the animal.
Elephants love to swim and swim quite quickly.
The giant's usual speed when walking is 4-5 km/h, but when running it reaches speeds of up to 50 km/h.
The story that elephants are afraid of mice is a complete fiction. Rodents do not make any holes in the feet, and certainly cannot eat a giant from the inside. But animals won't touch food if mice are running all over it. Therefore, to say that elephants are afraid of mice is incorrect; rather, they disdain them.