At the current Level 4 lockdown, Travel & Things is STILL not allowed to head back into the bush just yet. So, once again, I delve into my archive to bring you, my readers, images and interesting facts about… the African Elephant.
There is nothing that an elephant enjoys more than a good wallow. Splashing about at a waterhole or gently flowing river is when elephant herd are at their most playful. However, the mud does serve a purpose as it suffocates ticks and parasites and is also utilized as a sunscreen. Their skin is up to 2.5cm thick and has so many folds and wrinkles that it can retain 10 times more water than smooth skin, thus helping to keep the animal cool.
Young elephants have to learn how to use their trunks and this spectacle is often a source of entertainment for guests watching a very young elephant trying to figure out what the actual purpose of the appendage is. Luckily it does not take them too long to grasp the concept of using it.
Did you know that elephants actually walk on tiptoe? Their foot structure is such that the majority of the foot is a fatty pad and the weight is therefore evenly distributed. When tracking, it is easy to figure out in which direction they are travelling as the front foot has 4 nails, while the rear has 3.
Elephants feature in many cultures as creatures of great strength as well as being associated with success, good luck and loyalty.
Baby elephants are able to stand within 20 minutes of being born and can walk after about an hour. This allows them to keep up with the herd when they migrate to look for water or food.
Elephants are said to have a remarkable memory, but this is yet to be proven conclusively. What is known, is the fact that their temporal lobe is larger than that of humans.
Although elephants are seen as a prey species in certain areas, where lions have learned to hunt the newly born and the old and infirm, their biggest threat is from humans. Both from loss of habitat as well as being poached for their tusks which have only decorative value.
Breeding herds are led by a Matriarchial female and consists of females and young males. The males will eventually be forced to leave the breeding herd and will either live a solitary life or they will form small bachelor groups where individuals will look out for each other. The males will only interact with the females if they sense that there are females in oestrus.
Purportedly the elephant is the only land mammal that cannot jump. However, neither can the rhino or the hippo. When the latter two run, they are able to lift all four feet off the ground simultaneously, something that an elephant cannot accomplish.
The trunk of an elephant contains about 150000 muscles! Yet, with experience, they are able to control this large appendage with such dexterity that they are able to pick up tiny particles of food or vegetation. When drinking, the trunk(which can contain up to 8 litres) is used to suck up water that they will then squirt into their mouths.
Elephants can eat in excess of 350kg of food per day. This means that they spend all their waking hours either feeding or drinking. This can be a problem where they share territory with local farmers who have crops that they need to protect.
Elephants are the largest land mammal on Earth. With their prehensile trunks, large ears and sturdy legs, there is no other animal that looks similar. (As an aside, if you think that an elephant is big, can you imagine how huge this tree is as it seems to almost dwarf the feeding pachyderm.)
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