African Elephant
How do elephants communicate?
Through touch, taste, and smell
Why do males leave the male herd?
To search for a mate
What is on the end of the trunk on an African elephant?
Two finger like features, which can be used to grab small items
How much can an adult eat in a day?
Up to 300 pounds
How much can an elephant drink in a day?
Up to 50 gallons of water
How much do African elephants weigh?
Up to 6.5 tons
Do elephants like water? What do they do with it?
Yes, suck water into their trunks and spray themselves
How old are females when they bear their first calf?
10-20 years old
When do bulls first leave the herd? Then what do they do?
14, roam Africa with other bulls in a loose-knit male herd
How much do elephants weigh when they are born and how tall are they?
200 pounds, 3 feet tall
How long is the gestation period?
22 months
How many different muscles are in the elephant's trunk?
About 100,000
How can you tell an African from an Asian elephant?
African elephants are slightly larger, ears are larger and look like Africa
How many hind toes does an Afrian elephant have? An Asian elephant?
African-5, Asian-4
Who leads a herd of cows?
An older female cow
Which elephants have tusks? Male , female, or both?
Both
What are male adult elephants called?
Bulls
What are female elephants called?
Cows
African elephants are the ______________ largest land animals.
First
Why have many elephants been killed?
For the valuable ivory in its tusks
What do two elephants do when they meet?
Greet with trunks outstreched, looking for clues
What are elephant tusks made of, and what are they used for?
Ivory, dig for food, strip bark from trees, and fighting
What do bulls do after mating?
Leave and join another herd
What kind of groups do cows live in?
Live in family herds with their young, sisters, and even female cousins
An elephants trunk is actually a __________ used for _____________.
Long nose, used for smelling, breathing, trumpeting, drinking, and grabbing
What is the scientific name of the African elephant?
Loxodonda africana
What do elephant greetings make scientists believe?
Memory to recognize each other, and are also able to hold grudges
Who cares for the baby elephant?
Mother and other females in the herd
What human like traits do elephants possess?
Mourn deaths and care for wounded
Do African elephants require a lot of sleep?
No
Do elephants drink through their trunks?
No
Can humans hear all elephant calls?
No, many are too low
Is ivory trade legal today? Does it still exist? What is the result?
No, yes, some African elephant populations remain endangered
Who did ivory tusks attract?
Poachers
What is the function of elephant ears?
Radiate heat to help keep them cool, communicate emotions or danger to other elephants, lets them hear another elephant's call over 3 miles away
What do elephants do when they greet each other?
Raise their trunks in the air, spin in circles, flap their ears, and trumpet
What do elephants do when they are on alert?
Raise there trunks like parascopes with the tips pointed towards whatever danger or ill wind is blowing
What do elephants do while foraging for food?
Roam over great distances
What do elephants eat?
Roots, grasses, fruit, and bark
How does a mother interact with her calf?
She may bat the calf with her tail, or turn and shove it as discipline
What do elephants often do after they wet their skin?
Spray it with a protective coating of dust
