Elephants are terrestrial herbivore mammals. Known for their distinctive looks and sheer size, elephants are de facto “kings of the jungle.” The following are 15 fun elephant facts. Let’s read.
15 fun Elephant facts
1. Elephants are the largest of all terrestrial animals. They are herbivores mammals that are found on the continents of Asia and Africa, thus generally classified as Asian and African elephants.
However, the African elephant is a genus comprising of two species, the African bush elephant and the African forest elephant while the Asian elephant is a species comprising of four subspecies, the Indian elephant, the Sri Lankan elephant, the Borneo pygmy elephant, and the Sumatran elephant.
2. Size chart
Species | Typical Height | Typical Weight |
---|---|---|
African bush elephant | 10-13 ft | 4-7 tons |
African forest elephant | 8-10 ft | 2-5 tons |
Asian elephant | 6.5–11.5 ft | 3-6 tons |
3. Elephants are herbivore animals. They can eat up to 150 kg (330 lbs) of food every day.
4. Both male and female African elephants have large tusks whereas only male Asian elephants can have large tusks. Female Asian elephants may have barely visible tusks known as tushes. Sometimes even male Asian elephants, especially in Sri Lanka, are not able to develop tusks due to a genetic disorder.
5. The large ears of elephants work as a fan and help in dissipating heat from the body. African elephants have relatively large ear sizes. The contour of their ears roughly makes the map of Africa. Asian elephants too have large ears but not as large as African elephants.
6. Elephants are the keystone species of their ecosystem. It means that their behavior largely affects the other species of the ecosystem.
7. Adult and old male elephants either live alone or in small male groups. A female along with her offspring live in a group with other females.
8. The 22-month gestation period of Elephants is one of the longest among all animal species. The newborn can weigh as much as 120 kg.
9. Elephants communicate using a wide range of sounds. One of those is a low-pitched infrasonic sound that can travel several kilometers.
10. The average lifespan of elephants is 60-70 years. They live longer in captivity than in the wild.
11. Upon reaching sexual maturity, male elephants enter a state of increased testosterone once a year known as musth. They become highly aggressive during musth.
12. Elephants are one of the most intelligent animals. They are able to recognize themselves in the mirror. They are also known to create and use tools for scratching, digging holes, etc.
(Also read: Top 10 largest “big cats” in the world)
13. Sadly elephants are a threatened species now. The Asian elephant is classified as endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) while the African elephant is classified as vulnerable. The main threat that elephants face is of poaching for ivory. Another major threat is habitat loss.
14. African elephants have two fingers at the end of the trunk whereas Asian elephants have only one.
15. The head shape of African elephants is rounded while Asian elephants have twin-domed heads.
16. African elephants have straighter or concave-shaped backs whereas Asian elephants have a convex back shape.
Elephant facts
Family name | Elephantidae |
Number of species | 3 |
Diet | Herbivore |
Lifespan | 60-70 years in the wild |
Weight | Up to 8,000 kg |
Continent | Asia and Africa |
Quick question
Which is the largest big cat?
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Answer to quick question
Tiger is the largest of all big cats.