Science & Technology

These animals eat up to 300 pounds of food per day!

Elephants hold the title of Earth’s largest living land animal. There are three species, which are native only to the continents of Africa and Asia: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. African bush elephants and Asian elephants are considered endangered, while the African forest elephant is listed as critically endangered. Similar at first glance, the species differ in the size of their ears, trunks, and tusks.

The Elephant in the Room

Elephants’ size varies based on species, and females are smaller overall than males. The male African bush elephant, also known as the African savannah, weighs between 5 and 8 tons. That’s anywhere between 10,000 and 16,000 pounds! Height to its shoulders is an impressive 10 to 11 feet. Females, though smaller, are still extraordinary in size, standing between 8 and 9 feet and weighing around 3 to 4 tons (6,000 to 8,000 pounds).

This species has big triangular-shaped ears and a large trunk with two finger-like extensions at its end. These animals live in the forests, savannahs, deserts, and wetlands of Sub-Saharan Africa. The African bush elephant is often gray with thick wrinkly skin, and males have two large tusks that resemble horns protruding from their mouths.

The African forest elephant is the smallest of the species.  The bulls, or males, weigh between 4 and 8 tons and stand less than 10 feet tall. The cows, or females, weigh closer to 2 to 4 tons and stand between 6 and 8 feet.

The African forest elephant is typically gray in color but after wallowing can appear yellow or red. Wallowing is when the animal rolls around in mud or dust to achieve some form of comfort, whether it be cooling off, removing parasites, or simple skin maintenance. These elephants have oval-shaped ears and large trunks with the same two fingerlike appendages. While the African bush tusks curve upward, the African forest elephant’s tusks point straight downward and are present on both the males and the females. These large mammals are found in Central and West Africa, most frequently in tropical forests and grasslands.

Finally, the Asian elephant features bulls weighing around 4 to 5 tons and standing nearly 10 feet tall. Cows are shorter, about 6 to 8 feet, and weigh 2.5 to 3.5 tons. Asian elephants have smaller ears than the other species and are folded and often depigmented, without color. The depigmentation is also present on the animal’s forehead and sometimes the trunk and neck. Females, called tushes, typically do not have tusks; if they do, they are small and only visible in open mouths.  Males without tusks are called makhnas. Asian elephants have only one appendage at the end of their trunk, so they rely more on the trunk itself to grab and squeeze items. They live in South and Southeast Asia and prefer habitats with a mix of grasses, plants, and low, woody trees.

Similarities

All elephants are herbivores, but they enjoy a wide range of foods, such as flowers, weeds, leaves, fruits, twigs, and grasses. They eat up to 300 pounds of food each day, so it would not be likely they would  have a picky appetite.

Elephants are social creatures. While there is some variation in species sociability, they mostly prefer a social lifestyle. Many herds are matriarch-led, meaning that an adult female is typically dominant in the group. Adult males will sometimes live alone or in loose groups with other adult males.

Elephants are great communicators, using various styles to interact with others in the herd. When greeting one another, elephants will touch another’s mouth and other places on the body. Mothers and their calves use certain touches to let each other know what they need or what they should be doing. To appear threatening or scary, an elephant will raise its head and spread its ears as well as toss itself around in dust or vegetation.

Another form of communication is vocalized. The animals will trumpet, bellow, roar, growl, bark, snort, or rumble. These sounds are made with their trunks or mouths. For long-range communication, their infrasonic rumbles can be heard up to six miles away. They also use seismics, or sounds made with vibrations. When an individual stomps, it creates a signal that reaches up to 20 miles.

Another similarity among the species is their intelligence. Circus elephants demonstrate that they can learn tricks, memorize movements, and follow directions. Furthermore, they have been known to use tools, such as utilizing branches as flyswatters. The phrase “an elephant never forgets” highlights the animal’s reputation to apparently exhibit long-lasting memories.

Whatever the species, elephants are magnificent creatures. Not only are they massive in size but also noted for their intelligence, social nature, and complex communication skills. It is important to protect the future of these gentle giants.

1. Elephants are Earth’s largest living land animals.
2. They are found only on the continents of Africa and Asia.
3. Elephants are social animals with strong communication skills.