Elephant

Elephant

Elephant

According to historical records, elephants have long been friends of humans and can provide assistance to humans. Elephants are very smart, they can open up the ground, and they can bury their dead companions in the fallen leaves and dead branches. Elephants have a long life span, and they can usually live to about 70 years old. They are sexually mature from 10 to 15 years old and have a pregnancy period of 22 months. Elephants are extremely widely distributed. About 40 million years ago, all continents except Oceania and Antarctica had their footprints. However, there are now mainly two types of Asian elephants and African elephants. 

Latin Name: Elephantidae
Class: Mammalia

Nick Name: Elephant

boundary : animal world

door : Notochords

Asia Gate : Vertebrate subphylum

Gang : Mammalia

Asian elephants have a shoulder height of 2 to 4 meters. It weighs 3 to 5 tons, African elephants have a shoulder height of 3 to 4 meters and weighs 5.5 to 8 tons. African forest elephants have an average shoulder height of no more than 2.7 meters and a weight of 3.5 tons. The elephant's head is big, the ears are big like a fan and the limbs are thick like a cylinder to support a huge body. The knee joint cannot flex and stretch freely. The length of the nose is almost equal to the length of the body. It is cylindrical and stretches and flexes freely; The nostril is open at the end, and the tip of the nose has finger-shaped protrusions. It can pick up items. The elephant's nose is very flexible. It can pick up objects weighing up to 1 ton. It can also pick up food as small as peanuts.
One of the elephant genus of Central and South Asia or the African elephant genus of Africa. The skin is thick and hairless, with a long, flexible, curly nose, and the two incisors of the upper jaw develop into long and curved tusks. The African elephant has huge fan-shaped ears.
The upper jaw has a pair of developed incisors, which grows for life. The incisors of African elephants can be up to 3.3 meters long. The female long teeth of Asian elephants are not exposed. Each cheek tooth on the upper and lower jaws has 6 cheek teeth, which grow sequentially from front to back. complex structure. 5 toes per foot, but the first 5 toes are underdeveloped. The coat is sparse and the body is light grayish brown. The male testis is hidden in the abdominal cavity; the female has two nipples behind the forelegs, and the gestation period is more than 600 days (22 months), usually singleton. The African elephant has a larger body with large ears and 2 finger-like protrusions at the end of the nose. The Asian elephant is smaller in size, lighter in weight, has smaller ears, and has a finger-like protrusion at the end of the nose.
Lifestyle



Lifestyle

Elephants are social animals, with the family as the unit. The female elephant is the leader. The time of daily activities, the route of action, the place of foraging, the habitat, etc. all follow the female elephant's command. Adult bulls are only responsible for protecting the safety of the family. Sometimes several elephant herds gather to form a large herd of hundreds of elephants.
Elephants can communicate with infrasound waves that are inaudible to humans. In the case of no interference, they can generally spread 11 kilometers. If the medium caused by the airflow is not uniform, they can only spread 4 kilometers. To communicate, the elephant herd will be stomping together and produce a powerful "boom" sound, this method can spread up to 32 kilometers. How did the distant elephant hear? Can't you put your ear on the ground and listen? In fact, elephants use bones to conduct sound. When sound waves reach the sound waves, they will pass through the bones to the inner ear along the soles of the feet. The fat on the face of the elephant can be used to amplify the sound. Many underwater animals also have this fat.
distribution range
Elephants are widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical areas of the sub- Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia, as well as the southern border of China; they are mainly produced in India, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and other countries. There are also small wild populations in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China. African elephants and African forest elephants are widely distributed throughout the sub-Saharan African continent and like to live in groups.
Asian elephants have been widely distributed in South Asia and Southeast Asia south of the Yangtze River in China and their distribution has been reduced. They are mainly produced in India, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and other countries. There are also small wild populations in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China. African elephants are widely distributed throughout the sub-Saharan African continent (the subspecies of North Africa became extinct around the early 19th century). Elephants inhabit a variety of habitats, especially in jungles, grasslands, and river valleys.
Species classification
Elephants belong to the order Proboscis, and there is only one family, two genera and three species, namely the elephant family (scientific name: Elephantidae), the African elephant genus, and the elephant genus. As with the African forest elephants, the genus is the only Asian elephant (also called an Indian elephant ).

African elephant

African elephants are distributed in large areas in eastern, central, western, southwest, and southeastern Africa. They start from the grasslands of Sudan in the north to the hinterland of South Africa in the south, from the coast of East Africa in the east to the equatorial zone of West and West Africa. area.
Distribution countries: Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’ Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
African elephants live in tropical forests, jungles, and grasslands. It is the largest terrestrial mammal in existence. Group living should be led by a female elephant, with daily behavior and no settlement. Feed on wild grass, leaves, bark, twigs, etc. The reproductive period is not fixed, the pregnancy period is about 22 months, each litter, sexual maturity at 13 to 14 years old, life span 70 years. Beijing Zoo started breeding and exhibiting in 1954.
The African elephant is the largest terrestrial mammal in existence. It has a body length of 6 to 7.5 meters, a tail length of 1 to 1.3 meters, a shoulder height of 4.5 meters, and a weight of 7000 kg. The highest record is a male, with a total length of 11 meters (including nose and tail), a front foot circumference of 2 meters, and a weight of 13,000 kg. The largest ivory record is 350 cm long and weighs about 107 kg. The extinct North African steppe elephants are relatively small, only 3.4 to 3.7 meters high, weighing about 8.9 tons, and similar in size to African forest elephants.
The ears of African elephants are very large, up to 1.5 meters long. There are 21 pairs of ribs and a maximum of 26 caudal vertebrae in the five feet of the forefoot and three feet of the hindfoot. The African elephant's forehead is raised, the back is more inclined, the shoulder is the highest point, the nose has two finger-like processes, both male and female have long fangs, but the female is much smaller. Body length is 6 to 7.5 meters, tail length is 1 to 1.3 meters, shoulder height is 3 to 4 meters, and weight is 5 to 7.5 tons. The African elephant is the largest among terrestrial mammals and is slightly larger than the Asian elephant. It can be distinguished from the Asian elephant by the ears as large as the fan. Asian elephant ears are rounder and smaller. Elephant ears can emit heat to keep the body cool, but sometimes the temperature on the African continent is too high. Elephants have a natural intimacy with water, like to suck water into the trunk and spray it all over the body. After that, they often spray a protective layer of dirt on the skin. The elephant's long nose can be used not only for smelling, breathing, blowing trumpets, and drinking water, but also for grabbing things, especially for delicious meals. The elephant trunk alone has about 100,000 muscles. The African elephant has two finger-like protrusions at the end of its proboscis, which is very sensitive and dexterous and can be used to grab small things. There is only one Asian elephant. Both male and female African elephants have long teeth, looking for food and water, and tearing the bark off the trunk.

Common African Elephant



African Elephant

The common African elephant, also known as the steppe elephant, is a species of the African elephant. It is the largest mammal on the land of the world and is widely distributed on the African continent. They are herbivores. They have 16 hours a day to collect food. Their digestive system is not efficient. Only 40% of the food can be absorbed. An adult elephant can eat 225 kg of food a day. Wild common African elephants live 65 to 70 years.
Male common African elephants have an average shoulder height of 3.3 meters and weigh 5.5 tons; female common African elephants have an average shoulder height of 2.8 meters and weigh 3.7 tons. Ordinary African elephants have a large body and a gray coat. The rear hips are the same height as the front shoulders, and the ivory is extremely long and curved upward. The elephant's ears are large, with rich blood vessels for heat dissipation, the tail is not long, and there is a brush at the top.
Adult male common African elephants live alone and have an irritable temperament. When stimulated, they will enter a "furious state". At this time, it will attack anything and be extremely dangerous. The elephant (team/group) is led by an older female who chooses a migration route with water-based on experience.
The female common African elephant is 22 months pregnant and is the longest among mammals. One litter per litter, the newborn baby elephant has a shoulder height of about 90 cm and a weight of about 100 kg. The attacks of lions and crocodiles are the biggest threat to the survival of baby elephants. Wild common African elephants live 65 to 70 years, and captivity can reach 80 years or more.
Common African elephants are widely distributed on the African continent. Mainly include: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Ethiopia, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Gabon, Congo, Angola, Côte d’ Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Angola, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, etc.

Asian Elephant



Asian Elephant

Asian elephants are distributed in the southern part of Yunnan Province, China. Seen abroad in South and Southeast Asia.
Asian elephants (aka Asian elephants) live in tropical forests, jungles, or grasslands. Group living, led by a female elephant, no fixed habitat, daily walking. Poor vision (mainly because the elephant's eyelashes are longer, which affects vision), sniffing, and hearing is sensitive and likes to take a bath in hot weather. Dawn foraging and feeding on wild grass, leaves, bamboo leaves, wild fruits, etc. The reproductive period is not fixed, the pregnancy period is 20 to 22 months, each child is born, sexual maturity is 9 to 12 years old, and the life span is 70 to 80 years. The Beijing Zoo was raised and exhibited in 1951, and the breeding was successful in 1964.
The Asian elephant is one of the endangered species listed in the International Convention on Endangered Species, and it is also a first-level wild animal in China. There are only more than 300 animals in China.
Asian elephants have a high IQ and a gentle and easy temperament, making them easy to domesticate. Citizens in many countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia (especially Thailand and India) have domesticated them for riding, serving in labor, and performing. The training process of performance, riding, and labor is often very cruel. The trainer uses sharp elephant hooks and continuous beating to destroy their will and force them to succumb. This process will cause irreversible damage to their physiology and psychology, so Asian elephants used for performance, riding, and labor often have serious behavioral abnormalities.
Population status

Asian Elephant

Many Asian elephants in Southeast Asian countries (especially Thailand and India) have been domesticated by humans and treated as domestic animals, which can be used for riding, circus performances, or labor. The Asian Animal Fund said that the use of elephants in circus performances, riding, and labor not only causes serious physical harm to animals but also triggers abnormal behavior. At the same time, there are huge safety hazards in the process of performance, riding, and labor, and elephants can often cause fatal danger after breaking free of control. Due to the demand for elephant exhibitions and performances by captive institutions, a large number of Asian elephants (such as Laos or Myanmar) or African elephants (such as Zimbabwe) are captured from the wild and transported to Chinese zoos, which poses a great threat to wild populations.

African elephant

The sharp decline in the number of African elephants is mainly caused by two factors. First, the rapid growth of the African population and the development and destruction of forests and grasslands have prompted the shrinking of the territory of wildlife and the deterioration of the environment. As a result, the natural mortality rate of elephants has skyrocketed. The second is indiscriminate hunting. In the past, Africans hunted elephants mainly to obtain elephant meat and elephant skin. However, after the 1970s, ivory became the main source of people's killing of elephants. This is not only because of the rapid increase in demand for ivory in the international handicraft market but also because of the turmoil in the international financial market. Ivory, like gold and diamonds, is regarded as a hard currency with stable value. Some major Western banks are competing to buy and Save. In the early 1980s, the annual turnover of ivory on the international market was about 1.3 million kg, of which more than 90% came from Africa. At the same time, the price of ivory continues to rise. From the 1970s to the 1980s, the wholesale price increased from $ 13 to $ 156 per kilogram, a 12-fold increase. Obtain an ivory, you can get a considerable income. Therefore, some people see elephants as "active gold boxes", ivory as "coveted platinum", and poaching ivory as "a shortcut to getting rich." They always risk their lives and do everything possible to kill elephants. Since the 1970s, elephants have been listed as "endangered animals" by the World Wildlife Conservation Organization. Many African countries have promulgated laws prohibiting the hunting of elephants and cracking down on gangs that poach elephants and smuggle ivory. The safari parks and reserves reserved for elephants have also been strengthened and armed patrols have been conducted. At the same time, with the assistance of some international wildlife conservation organizations, many African countries have launched a large-scale "save elephant campaign", through donations, exhibitions, lectures, film releases and other forms to promote the significance and measures of elephant conservation. In October 1989, the General Assembly of the International Trade Treaty Organization for Endangered Species passed a resolution prohibiting ivory trade within ten years. These measures have played a very good role in protecting elephants, and the number of African elephants has slowly recovered after the 1990s. In November 2002, the Twelfth International Trade Treaty Organization Meeting on Endangered Species was held in Santiago, Chile. The focus of the debate at the meeting was still on the ivory trade-in southern African countries. After intense debate, the meeting approved South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana ’s application to sell 60 tons of stored ivory within three years. In other African countries, because "the elephant's living conditions have not improved significantly", similar applications have not been approved. The implementing agency of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species once completely banned international trade involving elephants in 1989. Since the ban was implemented, ivory smuggling prices have been rapid The rise greatly stimulated the international illegal ivory trade and triggered a new round of hunting for African elephants. According to incomplete statistics, in just one year, 23,000 elephants were hunted in Africa. At present, elephants have been listed as one of the ten most threatened species in the world. In order to protect endangered elephants, Kenya, and other countries have called for this conference to implement a 20-year ban on ivory trade, curb illegal trade in ivory, severely punish poaching and prevent the extinction of elephants.