elephants

Why do scientists believe the Elephant trunk evolved?

The trunk initially evolved in order to serve these animals as a snorkel, and now in modern day elephants for assistance in gathering food

Name two species of elephants, and name three differences between them

Theres the asian elephant and african elephant. Different head shapes African elpehants both have tusks but the asian elephants only males have them. An African elephant's trunk has more visible rings on it, and is not as hard to the touch as the Asian elephant trunk.

What are four types of vegetation they eat

They eat grasses, leaves, shrubs, fruits

What is musth? What are two signs an elephant is in musth?

a condition of heightened aggression and unpredictable behaviour Noticed by a large rise in reproductive hormones, temporal drainage, and dribbling/trickling of urine

What does the term "pachyderm" mean?

a very large mammal with thick skin

Name three behaviors the tusks are used for.

digging, lifting objects, gathering food,

How is the trunk used to drink water

dilate their nostrils in order to create more space in their trunks, allowing them to store up to 5.5 liters of water, then they pour the water in their mouth.

Elephant tusks are elongated/modified

incisors

List the functions that it performs.

smelling, breathing, trumpeting, drinking, and also for grabbing things, snorkaling while swimming

How do elephants communicate over great distances?

using very low frequency sounds, with pitches below the range of human hearing. These low-frequency sounds, termed "infrasounds,"

How many hours a day do elephants spend eating

16 to 18 hours

When do tusks begin to grow?

2 years of age

How long is the elephant's gestation period?

2 years or even more

How large is the baby elephant at birth

3 ft at birth

How far can infrasounds travel?

6 miles

How long will they nurse from their mother

6 months

Why can humans not hear some of the infrasounds

Because its a pitch we are not able to hear

What are the chemical components that make the ivory that the tusks are made of?

Calcium hydroxyapatite and protein with small amounts of Calcium carbonate, Calcium fluoride, and Magnesium phosphate.

At what time of year are they typically born

In the spring or in a rainy season

How does an elephant's skeleton support its massive weight

The bones are arranged in direct line with one another, like a pillar providing rigid support for the enormous body.