Throughout centuries, elephants were used to support human activities. They have helped their owners to move heavy loads, and they still do in some parts of the world.
Even in some wars, skilled warriors equipped these giant animals with special armors to crash their enemies during offensive battles.
Besides those, what else do you know about these giant animals? – If you know not much, then these 22 facts about elephants are definitely for you.
1. If you want to differ the male elephant from a female one, look at their head.
Male elephants have long tusks. Female elephants do not have one. If they do, they are almost invisible or short. Male elephants tusk is usually about 1.65 ft.
2. Size of elephant tusks is based on their genetic traits.
Elephants with long tusks are non-existent in our modern time. Because several centuries ago, those types of elephants were killed by hunters. Most of the modern elephants have shorter tusks and about 1/3 length of their tusk is hidden in their skull
3. Elephants can be lefties or righties like humans.
Instead of using hands, they use their tasks. This is definitely one of the interesting facts about elephants discovered by experts.
They usually use their tusks to dig the earth to search for the food, carry heavy loads, and protect themselves.
4. Elephants eat about 660 lbs (300kg) food and drink 26 to 80 gallons of water a day.
Of course, their water consumption depends on the weather temperature.
5. When we drink water we use cups, but elephants use their trunk.
An elephant trunk can hold about 2 gallons (8 liters) of water. When they drink, they suck the water into their trunk and then pour the water into their mouth.
You can watch the way they drink water in the video below.
6. During the famine, elephants of a herd separate from each other and search their food separately.
7. Female elephants with the most experience are usually the leaders of their herds.
Each herd has about 15 female elephants, and it includes both young and old elephants. However, in Africa, scientists often record the cases where a herd of elephants gathers in the hundreds or even thousands.
8. When humans greet, they usually shake hands or hug each other, but elephants have a different way of greeting.
When they greet, they entwine their trunks.
Watch the elephant greeting below.
9. Elephants are very friendly animals.
Apart from their human-like greetings, they also help younger elephants. Imagine a child walking with a mother, holding hands. Elephants use their trunk to hold young ones. If older elephant sees younger elephant slipping away from the herd, they go after them to bring back.
10. Elephants are able to show their emotions.
If something goes wrong in their herd, they become sad. If something good happens, such as a birth of a new calf, they even smile.
11. Elephants are able to communicate with each other using their voices, ears, trunks, and tails.
When they use their voices, they are able to communicate with each other miles away. They usually make sounds during the night hours, because sound travels faster when it is cooler.
12. Their big ears can hear low-frequency sounds and use that advantage to communicate in longer distances.
Elephants also can hear or sens through their feet.
13. An elephant heart weighs over 30 pounds and it beats 30 times per minute.
A human heart beats about 70 times per minute.
14. Did you know that elephants have their holiday?
If you did not, keep in mind to celebrate the Elephant Appreciation Day every year on September 22.
15. Elephants live 70 to 80 years.
16. A female elephant can produce offspring up to 50 years.
17. Elephant trunk contains 500 muscles and they spend about 2 years to learn how to use their trunk.
18. Each elephant ears have a unique and inimitable rim
19. A newborn calf of an elephant can weigh over 220 lbs (100 kg).
20. Elephant pregnancy can last up to 22 months.
21. Like humans, elephants born without teeth
22. Elephant’s brain weighs about 11 pounds (5kg).
These are the 22 facts about elephants. If you decided to learn more about elephants, watch the video below. It contains more facts about elephants.
