The Largest Land-Dwelling Mammal on Earth.
African elephants are known as the largest land-dwelling mammals on earth. They are also best known for their exclusive body parts, longevity and social behavior . Female elephants live in family herds consisting of mothers, daughter, sisters and aunts, plus immature males. The mature males, on the other hand, live mostly solitary lives or join bachelor herds. One calf is born every 3 to 4 years after a pregnancy that lasts about 22 months; it is the longest pregnancy than any other mammal. Elephants require large quantities of food to sustain their massive bodies, therefore they travel great distances in search of food. An adult elephant consumes 140 – 270 kg of food in a single day. The elephants diet consists of leaves, bark, fruits, shrubs, grass and herbs.African elephants are to some extent different than their Asian cousins. For instance the sizes of the African elephant ears are bigger and extend back behind the neck whereas the Asian elephant ears are smaller and do not extend past the neck. The huge flappable ears help these animals cool off, even though elephants often have to retreat to the shade or water when the African heat is too much. The elephant’s trunk which is unique among living mammals is actually a long nose used for various purposes such as breathing, smelling, trumpeting, drinking, manipulating tiny objects, or tearing down huge tree limbs. The trunk also makes an excellent snorkel when swimming. Female and male African elephants have tusks. The tusks are the elephant’s second upper incisors and they grow continuously – an adult male tusk grows up to 18 cm a year.
Unfortunately, these outstanding creatures are "brutally" hunted for their tusks because ivory is so valuable to some “ignorant” humans. This trade is prohibited today, but it has not been entirely eliminated. These enormous elephants continue to wander the African land, but remain under threat from poaching and habitat loss. African elephants are listed as endangered on the World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Animals.
African elephants are known as the largest land-dwelling mammals on earth. They are also best known for their exclusive body parts, longevity and social behavior . Female elephants live in family herds consisting of mothers, daughter, sisters and aunts, plus immature males. The mature males, on the other hand, live mostly solitary lives or join bachelor herds. One calf is born every 3 to 4 years after a pregnancy that lasts about 22 months; it is the longest pregnancy than any other mammal. Elephants require large quantities of food to sustain their massive bodies, therefore they travel great distances in search of food. An adult elephant consumes 140 – 270 kg of food in a single day. The elephants diet consists of leaves, bark, fruits, shrubs, grass and herbs.African elephants are to some extent different than their Asian cousins. For instance the sizes of the African elephant ears are bigger and extend back behind the neck whereas the Asian elephant ears are smaller and do not extend past the neck. The huge flappable ears help these animals cool off, even though elephants often have to retreat to the shade or water when the African heat is too much. The elephant’s trunk which is unique among living mammals is actually a long nose used for various purposes such as breathing, smelling, trumpeting, drinking, manipulating tiny objects, or tearing down huge tree limbs. The trunk also makes an excellent snorkel when swimming. Female and male African elephants have tusks. The tusks are the elephant’s second upper incisors and they grow continuously – an adult male tusk grows up to 18 cm a year.
Unfortunately, these outstanding creatures are "brutally" hunted for their tusks because ivory is so valuable to some “ignorant” humans. This trade is prohibited today, but it has not been entirely eliminated. These enormous elephants continue to wander the African land, but remain under threat from poaching and habitat loss. African elephants are listed as endangered on the World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Animals.
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