The African Elephant

By Michael Tasner

The African elephant is a majestic creature that stands approximately 10-13 feet tall and weighs between 5.5 and 7 tons.  The adult male is larger than the adult female and the average length of an African elephant is 19 to 24 feet, which includes the tip of the trunk to the tip of the tail.  The elephant has ears that are shaped like flaps and are used as fans to cool the body.  The toes are cushioned with fibrous tissue that helps to protect the elephant's toe bones from being injured.  Both male and female elephants have tusks.

Habitat

Elephants are able to adapt well and can survive in the forest, bush, or savannah areas.  They are migratory animals with a home range of approximately 500 feet and older elephants teach younger elephants their migrating patterns.  Because of logging and other industrial activities, the natural habitat for African elephants has gotten smaller in size.  Many African elephants now make their home in nature parks or zoos.

Nourishment

Elephants have huge bodies and must eat well to build enough energy to migrate, find food, and survive in the wild.  They eat anywhere from 100 to 1,000 pounds of food each day to keep their bodies fueled.  However, their bodies cannot digest food very well.  Approximately 40% of what an elephant eats is digested; the other 60% is excreted from the body.  African elephants eat vegetation that includes grasses, shrubs, and other greenery found in the wild.  When elephants are feeding, they often knock down or uproot trees, so they are known as destructive eaters.

Elephant Social Behavior

African elephants live in maternal societies led by the matriarch of the group.  Approximately 8-15 elephants travel together at a time.  Males leave the group when they reach puberty, but females continue to travel together.  Related societies often travel together and communicate with each other in the wild.  Elephants mate to reproduce and the gestation period is approximately 22 months.  The weight of a baby elephant at birth is anywhere from 175 to 250 pounds.  Baby elephants are known as calves.

Adaptations

Elephants have many special adaptations that help them to survive in the wild.  The tusks are used for eating and for weapons.  The structure of the teeth is important for being able to eat the large quantities of vegetation that elephants ingest each day.  The trunk is a recognizable feature used for eating, bathing, and communicating with other elephants.  The ears of African elephants are specialized for both hearing and cooling the body.  Elephants have excellent hearing abilities that help them to stay safe.  Their ears also act as cooling fans when it becomes very hot.  Elephants cool themselves by flapping these ears, cooling off the blood in this area of the body.
African elephants are well-known as zoo and circus animals, but they are also wild animals.  If you have the opportunity to see an African elephant up close, you'll recognize these physical features and better understand how elephants adapt to and survive in their natural environment.