Our earth is bestowed with huge number of animals in
forest as well as in civilian arena that maintain good balance in natural
environment. Some animals have extraordinary physical and perceptual power to
sense the pleasure or jeopardy in surrounding. When we appraise the living of
animals in dense forest, African elephants are underlined in our mind.
Nature has created wonderful creature as an elephant
which are highly brilliant and emotionally strong animals with complex
consciousness. African elephants which are highly mobile mammals extend a
pivotal contribution in balancing ecosystems of savanna and forest landscapes,
enhancing fiscal growth at global level. These elephants also participate in
conservation of natural environment that surpass geopolitical boundaries.
Evolutionary facts
about African elephant:
Scientific data
indicated that African elephants are divided into two subspecies, actually two
different species, the grander savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana africana),
which wanders in grassy plains and forests, and the smaller forest elephant
(Loxodonta africana cyclotis), which survives in the equatorial forests of
central and western Africa. Both species
of African elephants stays and roam in the wild forest of the African continent
south of the Sahara. Elephants have calibre to rove long distances to get food
and water. Historical facts showed that desert elephants of Mali in Africa
travel nearly 300 miles in a year that is about 35 miles a day to find water
and food.
In-depth physical
and Behavioural analysis of African elephant:
African elephants,
known as the biggest mammal, wander in herds in 37 countries of Africa. It is
recorded that their body length is up to 7.5m long, 3.3m high up to the
shoulder, and about 6 tonnes in weight. Their trunk, upper lip and nose is used
for communication, hunting food and managing objects in forest land. In African
elephants, there are two opposing extensions at the end of their trunks. These
elephant have confined peripheral vision with a range of only 25 ft. Since
their size of head and neck is huge whereas eyes are small. In physical characteristics,
skin of elephant is very thick that is about one inch but ear, under the legs
and around the eyes, skin is very thin. Elephant’s skin is sensitive as animals
get irritated when insects bite. African elephants have lesser hairs on their
body when comparing with Asian elephants. Elephants are well known in the world
by their spectacular teeth. Elephants have four molars, one on the top and one
on the bottom of both sides of the mouth. One molar tooth is about 5 lbs.
Weight and of brick size. In their lifetime, elephants have six sets of teeth
and old teeth being replaced as they wear out through use. New teeth grow in
the back of the mouth and move forward to replace old worn sets. The length of
an elephant’s tail is around 4.2 ft. (1.3 meters) with a series of very coarse
and wire-like hairs on it. Elephants have huge and special ears as compared to
other animals. African elephants use their ears to converse in visual manner.
They show anger or pleasure through flapping their ears. The special quality of
African elephants is that normally one elephant can hear the voice of other
elephant from about 2.5 miles. This range can be increased up to 6.2 miles.
African elephants have numerous high order attributes which makes them
intelligent. They can have a brilliant sense of hearing as sometimes they can
hear the sounds up to the distances of 10 miles.
Elephant’s social network is highly complex. They are
very organized and move in herd of females and calves. Male elephants normally
roam alone but sometimes they live in small groups with other males. Each
family in savannah normally have approximately 10 individuals. It has been seen
that some family units may join together to form a 'clan' that may composed of
70 members including female. Female elephants live in groups throughout their
life but Male elephants depart from herd at the age of 13 and spend their time
alone. In elephant family unit, Female elephants are known as ‘cows’, male
elephants are called ‘bulls’ and babies are called ‘calves’. All Female elephants are guided by
‘matriarchs’ who is the senior most and sensible female in the herd. In wild
forest, female elephants give birth up to four children in their life time.
Female elephants are ready to deliver babies at the age of 14 years and their
pregnancy period is 22 months.
African elephants are very smart and have excellent
communication prowess in social network to survive in forest land. Elephants
can communicate through low-frequency sounds termed as ‘rumbling’. Another
intelligent attribute of Elephants is that they are capable to assess the
distance from another elephant based on the pitch of his/her call. On earth,
only Elephants have a temporal gland. When this gland becomes active the
elephant exhibit the behaviour known as ‘musth’ which means a state of
drunkenness, laughter, ecstasy, desire or lust. This behaviour is exception to
elephant. In this behavioural condition, some elephants may show intense
aggression which may be sometimes dangerous especially during hot weather. Elephants
are highly intelligent and emotional among all animals in forest. The weight of
elephant’s brain is 11 lbs. (5 kg). Their intellectual ability is higher than
all animals excluding whales. Elephant memory is also very sharp. Sensitivity
and caring nature are other enticing emotional features of elephants. It can be
normally observed when baby elephant is in trouble whole elephant family will
roar and attend the baby with care. Other emotional behaviour of Elephants is
that they exhibit grief, humour, empathy, teamwork, self-awareness,
playfulness, and outstanding learning aptitudes. Elephants are very emotional
and responsible mammals. When any member of family expiries, they give full
respect and perform rituals. It is really surprising that elephants are too
respectful to their members and pay reverence to the bones of their dead
through sorrowfully touching the skulls and tusks with their trunks and feet.
This clearly indicates the emotional response and reverence to their dead
member. Their intelligence is reflected in mirror where they recognize
themselves and capable to learn behaviours and acts through watching and
imitating. Elephant’s life is around 70 years. African elephants are
Herbivorous. They eat grass, leaves and branches of bushes, and trees fruits.
Elephants are
valuable for maintaining ecosystem. With huge body, elephants make water holes
and dig dry riverbeds where rainwater is low. They rove in herds over massive
rangelands and spread seeds through their dung which are helpful in growing new
plants or shrubs.
It was shown in many researches that Elephants have
immense cultural prominence in Africa. In society, people use jewellery such as
rings and bracelets made from elephant’s hair to destroy evil spirits. In
African literature, African elephants are visualized as a brilliant leaders
among forest animals.
Major threats to
African elephants:
African elephants are under immense jeopardy in current
scenario. These species are attractions to money greedy people who used them
for poaching ivory. They are disappearing in forest land as humans exploit them
for personal gains. In today’s polluted environment, drastic climate change and
excessive land use by people degraded the forest land and damaging elephant
habitats and hampering ancient wandering passageways. Massive development of
commercial activities by humans in terms of infrastructure and extractive
industry across the continent put these extraordinary species on earth at
danger. As a result, our ecosystem may also deteriorating to grab humans in
their threatening web.
Existence of
African elephant species:
Global literature
signifies that approximate 10 million wild elephants wandered huge bands of the
African continent during 1930s. Due to malpractices by crooks in the form of
poaching, these species had declined rapidly. Continuous disappearance of
elephants in the period of 1970s and 1980s triggered sombre concern for animal
researchers as species survival was in question. Decline of African elephants
were highlighted and researchers are seriously monitoring the status of
elephant populations.
To condense the
facts, African elephants are biggest mammals on earth and strong pillar of
conserving ecosystem that help humans to live healthy. Elephants are responsive
and intellectual species in forest land and have sense of hearing and display
myriads of emotional behaviours. An African elephant contributes a lot for
maintaining ecosystem through eliminating trees, crushing grasses, creating
watering holes, and augmenting soil condition to cultivate new and healthy
plants. Elephants have great impact on the African traditional culture such as
removing evil forces. Currently, African society is lacking most cherished
creature because of poaching and wildlife trafficking practices. It is time to
act seriously to save this wonderful species to shield nature and human living.
