Information on Asian Elephants
- The difference between the Asian and African elephants is that the African ears are bigger than the Asian, and they are overall larger than the Asian.
- Asian elephants spend very little time sleeping and most of their time is spent foraging for food. These huge animals require about 300 pounds of food a day to keep their massive bodies sustained.
- The reproduction process is very long for the elephant. They have the longest gestation period of all animals at 22 months in pregnancy. Although female Asian elephants tend to live up to 75 years, they only have around 4 offspring. Females have one calf at a time, with a 1% chance of having twins. During the delivery, the herd forms a protective circle around the mother for a safe delivery.
Classification
Interesting Facts
- Asian elephants have 2 main ways to keep them cool in the arid grassland climate. 1. The flapping of the ears. Their ears are specialized with large blood vessels behind the ear to allow for rapid heat loss. 2. The rolling in of mud or dirt. Elephants will roll in dirt and mud so that when the sun shines on them, their skin is protected by a layer of dirt.
- In a herd, instead of a massive bull leading the way, an old grandmother, known as a matriarch, leads the group. The matriarch is the dominant female and is responsible for the safety of the herd and for providing enough food and water.
- When you hear the word, cow, do you think of a female elephant? Probably not! Elephants have the same names as cows, a bull is a male, a cow is a female, and a calf is a baby.
- Just like how humans have a favored hand, right- handed or left- handed, elephants have a favored tusk, a certain tusk that they use more than the other.
- The saying 'Elephants never forget,' is very close to the truth. Elephants have one of the most remarkable memories in the wild.
- Many people ask, "Where is the elephants nose?" when the elephant's nose is one of their most recognizable features! The elephant trunk is in fact the nose of the elephant, but is used for more than that. The Asian elephants use their trunk to pick up food and curl it to hold the food. They can also suck in water and squirt it out using their trunk. When their trunk muscles get tired, they are able to rest it on their tusk to let it relax.
- The wrinkles in the elephants skin does serve a purpose. Not as a sign that they are aging, but rather as a resource to trap moisture in the crinkles to in turn help them cool off.