Most people know the elephant as a huge, kind, but sad and awkward animal. These giants are very friendly, outgoing and caring. Tourists are always attracted by these giants. They are interested in different questions: why do they have big ears; how many elephants does the pregnancy last and who is in charge of the herd?
Lifestyle
Elephants are considered the largest animals that can be found on land. These giants belong to the class of mammals and are very social animals. Their natural habitat is Southeast Asia and Africa.
Elephants live in families, with complete matriarchy reigning in families, and males are expelled from the herd at a young age (or they leave themselves). Adult males live in solitude and approach the family only for mating with a mature female. The elephant family consists of an older elephant, her daughters (with children) and other female relatives.
By their nature, elephants are nomads. It is the elder female who leads her family in search of food, and she decides where to go, where and how much time to relax.
These huge animals are very sociable and enjoy communicating with their own kind. Tactile contact plays a huge role in the life of giants. They touch each other with a trunk, stroking in greeting, the elders kick the younger as a punishment. Members of the same family treat each other with great attention, special care and attention goes to the sick or dying elephant.
The question of how long the elephants have a pregnancy has long been controversial in the scientific community. But today, thanks to the observations, studies and documentation of zoologists, much is known about the period of pregnancy, childbirth and the subsequent care of the young of these powerful herbivores.
Elephant: Pregnancy
Of course, the elephant herself does not count months of pregnancy. But elephants are the leader in the period of gestation. The pregnancy of the female elephant is the longest.
The question of how long the elephants have a pregnancy is one of the most popular questions for women after pregnancy. These herbivores bear offspring from 20 to 22 months (almost 2 years).
By the 19th month, the fetus is practically formed and is only gaining weight. When the elephant feels that the hour of birth is approaching, she moves away from the herd. Often, another woman elephant accompanies the woman in labor. Childbirth lasts more than 2 hours.
Previously, scientists believed that the gestational age of an elephant depends on the gender of the baby elephant. It was believed that if a male elephant was to be born, then pregnancy was several months longer. During research, this assumption was rejected. The elephant’s gestation period is influenced by the climate, weather conditions, food and individual characteristics of the female.
Maturity occurs on the 10-12th year of life. Over a lifetime, a female can give birth to up to 9 elephants; twins are extremely rare. It must be 4 or 5 years after giving birth so that the elephant can become pregnant again.
Young
Through various studies, scientists have explained such a long pregnancy period of an elephant. The fact is that the calf in the womb develops very well in all directions: physically and mentally. And half an hour after birth, the baby can stand on its feet and follow its mother.
The elephant calf feeds on mother’s milk until one and a half years old (although it can until the fifth year of life). To feed the baby, the female becomes above the mound. The baby elephant climbs onto this hill and reaches the udder. If the female is the first-born, she may not know this method of feeding, the elephant calf will not reach the udder and remain hungry. More experienced females will come running to his cry, and if there is “milk” among them, then she will feed him.
In the first year of life, an elephant calf does not know how to use a trunk, so it drinks water and sucks milk with its mouth. Over time, the mother teaches the baby to own his trunk. The baby begins to take solid food from 6 months, but only from two years old can completely switch to an adult diet. Elephants, like little children, love to play, get dirty and have fun.
Motherhood
Baby elephants quickly learn to live in a family. By the way, young females who have not yet reached puberty (2-11 years old) are looking after newborns. It is believed that in this way they try on the role of the mother.
An elephant calf up to 4 years old needs a mother very much, she watches him, leads him. Tactile contact between them is always present: she claps his trunk, slightly pushes with her foot, touches her tail, the baby rubs on her leg, if he is tired of walking, and on the belly of his mother, if he is hungry.
Elephants are very concerned about their offspring, and if something threatens him, they wrap their arms around their babies and carry them away.
Interesting Facts
For many, the fact that elephants have a long pregnancy is entertaining in itself and arouses curiosity. But nature rewarded these amazing animals with various unusual abilities and qualities, which is often an occasion for the spread of legends and winged expressions:
- Despite their size, elephants are very good swimmers.
- They have a good self-consciousness for representatives of the animal world, they recognize themselves in the mirror.
- They use tools, for example, they use the branch as a fly swatter.
- Studies have shown that they have a very good memory (they carry out tasks in the study, but in nature they recognize their relatives).
- There is a legend that elephants are afraid of mice, because one small rodent can crawl into the trunk and block the air. It is not true. Even if the mouse hits the trunk, the elephant will blow it out with frantic force.
- These animals have a well-developed ear for music and memory, they are able to distinguish three-note melodies.
- Ears are used to regulate body temperature and fanning.
- The vein pattern on the ears of elephants is as unique as a human fingerprint.
- Adults sleep standing.
- They can jump because they have only 2 kneecaps.