The Elephants

The African Elephant is the largest living land mammal,

one of the most impressive animals on earth. The Elephant's
muscular trunk serves as a nose, hand, extra foot, signaling
device and a tool for gathering food, siphoning water, dusting,
digging and a variety of other functions. The long trunk permits
the elephant to reach as high as 23 feet. It is capable of
powerful twisting and coiling movements used for tearing down
trees or fighting. The trunk of the African elephant has two
finger-like structures at its tip. The tusks, another remarkable
feature, are greatly elongated incisors (elephants have no
canine teeth). Tusks grow for most of an elephant's lifetime and
are an indicator of age. They are "right or left tusked" using the
favoured tusk as a tool, shortening it from constant wear.

Elephant graze and browse and eat up to 600 pounds of

food a day. They can be extremely destructive in their feeding
habits by pushing over trees, pulling them up by their roots or
breaking off branches.

They are widely distributed throughout central, western

and eastern Africa, south of the Sahara, with the forest
elephant inhabiting the rainforests of the Congo basin. There
are isolated populations in the southern African sub-region

Dense forests to open plains - Clean drinking water and a

plentiful supply of food are an elephant's only habitat
requirements. They graze and browse and eat up to 600 pounds
of food a day. They can be extremely destructive in their
feeding habits by pushing over trees, pulling them up by their
roots or breaking off branches.

Elephants are generally gregarious and form small family

groups consisting of an older matriarch and three or four
offspring, along with their young. It was once thought that
family groups were led by old bull elephants, but these males
are most often solitary. The female family groups are often
visited by mature males checking for females in estrus. Several
 interrelated family groups may inhabit an area and know each
other well. When they meet at watering holes and feeding
places, they greet each other affectionately. Single young born
any time of the year. Gestation 22 months.

Elephants live long lives (60-70 years). They have complex

social system that involves groups of related invidividuals led
by mature females. They have an excellent sense of smell but
relatively poor sight and hearing.

The elephant is distinguished by its high level of

intelligence, interesting behavior, methods of communication
and complex social structure. Elephants seem to be fascinated
with the tusks and bones of dead elephants, fondling and
examining them. The myth that they carry them to secret
"elephant burial grounds," however, has no factual base.

GENERIC STRUCTURE
 General classifilation :
The African Elephant is the largest living land mammal, one of the most impressive
animals on earth.
 Description of qualities :
The Elephant's muscular trunk serves as a nose, hand, extra foot, signaling device
and a tool for gathering food, siphoning water, dusting, digging and a variety of
other functions. The long trunk permits the elephant to reach as high as 23 feet. It is
capable of powerful twisting and coiling movements used for tearing down trees or
fighting. The trunk of the African elephant has two finger-like structures at its tip.
The tusks, another remarkable feature, are greatly elongated incisors (elephants
have no canine teeth). Tusks grow for most of an elephant's lifetime and are an
indicator of age. They are "right or left tusked" using the favoured tusk as a tool,
shortening it from constant wear.
 Description of parts :
Diet Description: Elephant graze and browse and eat up to 600 pounds of food a
day. They can be extremely destructive in their feeding habits by pushing over trees,
pulling them up by their roots or breaking off branches.

Distribution: They are widely distributed throughout central, western and eastern
Africa, south of the Sahara, with the forest elephant inhabiting the rainforests of the
Congo basin. There are isolated populations in the southern African sub-region.

Habitat: Dense forests to open plains - Clean drinking water and a plentiful supply
of food are an elephant's only habitat requirements. They graze and browse and eat
up to 600 pounds of food a day. They can be extremely destructive in their feeding
habits by pushing over trees, pulling them up by their roots or breaking off branches.

Socialisation: Elephants are generally gregarious and form small family groups
consisting of an older matriarch and three or four offspring, along with their young.
It was once thought that family groups were led by old bull elephants, but these
males are most often solitary. The female family groups are often visited by mature
males checking for females in estrus. Several interrelated family groups may inhabit
an area and know each other well. When they meet at watering holes and feeding
places, they greet each other affectionately.

Reproduction: Single young born any time of the year. Gestation 22 months.
Life span: 60 to 70 years.
Interesting Facts: The elephant is distinguished by its high level of intelligence,
interesting behavior, methods of communication and complex social structure.
Elephants seem to be fascinated with the tusks and bones of dead elephants, fondling
and examining them. The myth that they carry them to secret "elephant burial
grounds," however, has no factual base.

By : Shanti S. F
XI IPA 2