What is the tallest elephant in the world. The largest elephant in the world

The largest land animals are elephants. They are found in India and Africa. Elephants have their own record holders. Most big elephant in the world weighs 12 tons. But such a heavy weight is a rare curiosity in the animal world. Typically, the weight of elephants ranges from 3 to 8 tons.

Amazing qualities of elephants

Elephants are distinguished not only by their enormous size, but also by their outstanding abilities. They have an excellent memory, they recognize melodies and are trainable. For example, one of the elephants became famous throughout the world for his talent as an artist. With the help of his trunk he draws beautiful pictures.

Elephants live quite a long time. If conditions are favorable, the animal's life expectancy can be 60 years. Although elephants are considered intelligent, their brain is very small compared to their large body mass. Humans have never been able to truly domesticate these animals. Although some representatives were able to be tamed and used.

The Indian elephant already in 2000 BC. e. served man successfully. At the same time, attempts were made to tame the less docile African elephant. In India, giants were successfully used during military operations. For example, it is known that the Indian ruler Porus fielded 200 elephants with soldiers on their backs during the battle with Alexander the Great. A little later, the Indian king Pyrrhus defeated the Roman army by trampling the infantry with elephants. In peacetime, giants were used as draft animals. The largest elephants in the world have been a priority at all times.

At the same time, elephants are revered by some peoples. In India, the elephant-headed Ganesha is the god of wisdom, and Buddhism values ​​him as highly as the dove of peace. White elephants have always been held in special esteem in India. They belonged to the rajahs and were not used for work. In Siam, even the king did not have the right to mount a white elephant. Such an animal was fed from silver and gold dishes, and drinking water scented with jasmine flowers. In Africa, pygmies believe that the souls of dead leaders inhabit elephants.

Features of the life of giant animals

Scientists consider elephants the strongest and largest of all. terrestrial mammals living in our time. These thick-skinned and tall animals inhabit the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. They use young shoots of bushes and trees for food. To maintain normal life, an elephant requires about 190 liters of water and 250 kg of food per day.

These animals move gracefully and smoothly, despite their enormous body mass. If biggest elephant in the world moves at a rhythmic pace, then its speed is 6.5 km per hour. However, it can accelerate to a speed of 40 km per hour at a distance of about 50 m. Animals cannot jump or gallop. If an elephant approaches a wide ditch that cannot be crossed, then it becomes a serious obstacle. The elephant is an excellent swimmer and can spend 6 hours in water, moving at a speed of 1.6 km per hour.

The elephant has a massive body and head, fan-shaped ears, a long trunk and ivory tusks. This family belongs to the order Proboscis. The trunk of animals is devoid of bones and consists only of muscles. It is formed by fused and highly elongated upper lip and nose. The trunk ends in two or one protrusions, depending on the type of animal. These projections can be used to grasp objects like fingers. With the help of their trunk, elephants pour or shower themselves with dust, trumpet, and send water and food into their mouths. Therefore, this organ is of vital importance.

Some elephants have tusks, which make them hunted by people. Ivory is highly valued as it is used to create original jewelry and figurines. Today, elephants are listed in the International Red Book, but this is not a barrier for poachers.

Interesting fact

The elephants that died in the jungle are missing tusks, but the reason does not lie in poachers. It turns out that the tusks of giants serve as food for African porcupines. In this way animals make up for the lack minerals in organism.

The largest elephant in the world

The largest representative of the elephant family is the African savannah elephant or Loxodonta. Some specimens reach 7.5 m in length and 3.5 m in height. Such elephants are found in Africa, their habitat is quite wide. But numerous herds of animals are no longer found these days, as their numbers are rapidly declining. Elephants need water, shade and food. These are the basic living conditions that are comfortable for them.

Representatives of the African species are much larger than Indian elephants. Average weight the female is 3 tons, and the male is 6 tons. Among them in different time real giants were noted, whose height reached 4 m and weight approached 12 tons. The largest elephant in the world had such dimensions, for which it was included in the Guinness Book of Records.

The African species is distinguished not only by its massive dimensions, but also by the size and shape of its ears. Loxodonta's ears are 2 times larger than those of Indian elephants. With their help, elephants protect themselves from overheating, as their ears act as a thermostat. As for the trunk, it also deserves attention. The trunk of the largest elephant in the world is 1.5 m long and weighs about 135 kg. Its tusks grow up to 2.5 m in length and reach a weight of 60 kg. Females also have tusks, but not as massive as males.

Elephants have about 4-6 molars, each of which weighs 3.8 kg and grows up to 30 cm in length. The thickness of the skin of such animals is 2-4 cm. Elephants can boast of a good sense of smell and hearing, but their eyesight is poor. When communicating, animals use the language of touch, and also make loud trumpet sounds that spread 10 km around.

Our world is truly amazing. It is full of creatures big and small, low and tall. Today we offer you an extraordinary interesting selection. It contains photographs of fifteen of the largest animals in the world, divided into various categories such as mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, etc. Some of these animals are real giants!

1. The largest animal in the world is the blue (or blue) whale.
The blue whale, also called the blue whale or vomit whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is marine mammals, which belongs to the order of cetaceans in the suborder of baleen whales. Reaching 30 meters (98 ft) in length and 180 metric tons or more in weight, it is the largest known to science animals that have ever existed on our planet. A blue whale's tongue can weigh about 2.7 tons (5,952 pounds), which is approximately the same weight as an average-sized Asian elephant. The blue whale's heart weighs about 600 kilograms (1,300 pounds) and is the largest such organ of any living creature. Not only is the heart of a blue whale the size of a small car, but it also weighs about the same as said car. And the volume of a blue whale’s lungs exceeds 3 thousand liters.

2. The blue whale is thought to feed almost exclusively on small shrimp-like creatures known as krill.

3. The diet of the blue whale is based on plankton. Thanks to its filtering apparatus, which consists of whalebone plates, summer months a blue whale can consume a whopping 3.6 metric tons (7,900 lb) or more daily.

4. This means that he can eat up to 40 million krill per day, given that daily requirement The calories of an adult blue whale are around 1.5 million. kcal

6. The largest land animal in the world: African elephant. The African elephant is the largest land animal. Male African elephants reach 6 to 7.5 meters (19.7 to 24.6 ft) in length, 3.3 m (10.8 ft) high at the withers, and can weigh up to 6 tons (13,000 lb). Female African elephants are much smaller, measuring on average 5.4 to 6.9 m (17.7 to 22.6 ft) long, 2.7 meters (8.9 ft) high at the withers, and weighing up to reach 3 tons (6600 lb). Adult African elephants generally have no enemies in their natural environment habitat due to its extreme large sizes, but elephant calves (especially newborns) are one of the favorite prey species for bloodthirsty attacks by lions or crocodiles, and are also often attacked by leopards or hyenas. According to the latest data, in wildlife The population of African elephants ranges from 500 to 600 thousand individuals.

7. Tallest land animal in the world: giraffe.

Giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis listen)) is an African mammal from the order artiodactyl family Giraffidae It is the tallest land animal in the world. its height averages 5-6 meters (16-20 ft). Male giraffes have an average weight of 1,600 kilograms (3,500 lb), while females can weigh around 830 kilograms (1,800 lb). Distinctive characteristic The giraffe has a very long neck that can reach over 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) in length. Actually, the neck accounts for almost half vertical height animal. Long neck is the result of a disproportionate lengthening of the cervical vertebrae, and not an increase in the number of vertebrae, of which the giraffe, like almost all other mammals, has only seven

8. Top predator in the world: Southern elephant seal.
The southern elephant seal is the largest carnivore on our planet. The size of the southern elephant seal is evidence of extreme sexual dimorphism, the most significant of any mammal, as male southern elephant seals are typically five to six times heavier than females. While females on average can weigh 400 to 900 kilograms (880 to 2,000 lb) and be 2.6 to 3 meters (8.5 to 9.8 ft) in length, male southern elephant seals weigh on average approximately 2,200 to 4,000 kg (4,900 to 8,800 lb) and can reach 4.5 to 5.8 meters (15 to 19 ft) in length. The all-time record holder of the southern elephant seal, shot at Possession Bay, South Georgia, on February 28, 1913, measured 6.85 meters (22.5 ft) in length and was estimated to weigh approximately 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb).
Southern marines can dive repeatedly when hunting, remaining underwater for more than twenty minutes each time, stalking their prey, squid and fish, to depths of 400 to 1,000 meters (1,300 to 3,300 ft). The documented record for staying underwater for a juvenile elephant seal was approximately two hours. Maximum depth The depth to which southern elephant seals can dive is more than 1,400 meters (4,600 ft).

9. Largest land predator in the world: Polar bear and Kodiak bear.

The world's largest terrestrial predator is the white polar bear ( Ursus maritimus) and Kodiak brown bear, ( Ursus ARCTOS). If with white polar bear everything is more or less clear, the Kodiak bear is less known.

10. Kodiak is a subspecies of brown bears that are found on Kodiak Island and other islands of the Kodiak archipelago near south coast Alaska. Since polar polar bear and the Kodiak brown bear have approximately the same body size; it is not clear which of them actually takes first place in terms of size. In both species, the height at the withers is over 1.6 meters (5.2 ft), and the total body length can reach 3.05 m (10.0 ft). Absolute weight record for polar and brown bear was 1003 kg (2210 lb) and 1135 kg (2500 lb) respectively.

11. The largest reptile in the world: Saltwater (combed or spongy) crocodile.
Saltwater crocodile(Crocodylus porosus), is the largest reptile currently existing in the world. The habitat of saltwater crocodiles ranges from Northern Australia to South-East Asia And east coast India. An adult male saltwater crocodile can weigh between 409 and 1,000 kilograms (900-2,200 lb) and is typically between 4.1 and 5.5 meters (13-18 ft) in length. However, males can exceed 6 meters (20 ft) in length and sometimes reach weights of over 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Nautical saltwater crocodile is the only species of crocodile whose representatives regularly reach a length of 4.8 m (16 ft) and even exceed this mark. The saltwater crocodile is an active predator that feeds primarily on insects, molluscs, amphibians, crustaceans, small reptiles and fish. However, it attacks almost any animal that is on its territory, either in the water or on land. The crocodile always drags the victim it watches on land into the water, where it is more difficult for it to resist it.

12. The largest amphibian in the world: the Chinese giant salamander.
The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is the largest salamander in the world. Individual specimens of the Chinese giant salamander can reach a length of 180 centimeters (6 feet), although giants like these are now extremely rare. This species is endemic mountain rivers and lakes in China. One of the conditions necessary for the survival of the Chinese giant salamander is clean and very cold water.

13. Today this species is considered endangered due to habitat destruction, pollution environment and targeted destruction, since the meat of the giant amphibian is considered a delicacy and is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

14. Largest rabbit/hare in the world: "Belgian Flanders". The Belgian Flanders is an ancient breed of domesticated rabbit that originates from the Flemish region.

15. They were first bred in the sixteenth century in the vicinity of Ghent, Belgium. Belgian Flanders rabbits can weigh up to 12.7 kilograms (28 pounds).

16. Largest bat in the world: giant golden flying fox. Pictured: a giant golden flying fox. Spectacled flying fox.

The largest of all bat species is the giant golden flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), a critically endangered species. bats from tropical forests Philippine, which is part of the fruit bat family. The main diet of giant golden flying foxes is fruit. Weight Limit Giant golden flying foxes can weigh 1.5 kg (3.3 lb), can reach 55 centimeters (22 in) in length, and have a wingspan of almost 1.8 meters (5.9 ft). The giant flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) is inferior to the golden flying fox in body weight and length, but is ahead of it in wingspan. Scientists recorded individuals with wingspans ranging from 1.83 meters (6.0 ft) to 2 meters (6.6 ft).

17. Largest rodent in the world: capybara.
The largest existing rodent is the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), a species that is found along the shores of various bodies of water in the tropical and temperate parts of the Central and South America, east of the Andes - from Panama to Uruguay to northeast Argentina. One of the main conditions for the existence of a capybara is the presence of a nearby body of water.

18. The largest capybaras can reach 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) in length and 0.9 meters (3.0 ft) in height at the withers. They can weigh up to 105.4 kg (232 lb). This is a very active species. Capybaras are social animals that live in groups of up to hundreds of individuals, but the usual size of one colony is on average 10-20 individuals.

19. Largest bony fish in the world: common sunfish (sunfish, headfish).

Osteichthyes, also called "bony fish", are a taxonomic group of fish that have bony rather than cartilaginous skeletons. The vast majority of fish belong to the species Osteichthyes. It is extremely diverse and large group, which consists of more than 29,000 species. This is the largest class of vertebrates currently existing.

20. The largest representative bony fish is the widespread common sunfish (sunfish, headfish) or Mola Mola. She is extremely strange shape body - it is compressed laterally, very high and short, which gives the fish an outlandish appearance and a disc-like shape. In fact, it does not have a body as such - the sunfish is literally a “head and tail”. Mature Common fish-head has average length 1.8 meters (5.9 feet), fin-to-fin width reaches 2.5 meters (8.2 feet), and average weight is 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds). However, scientists have recorded individuals that can be up to 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) long and 4.2 meters (14 feet) across. These giants can weigh up to 2,300 kilograms (5,100 pounds).

21. Largest lizard/ snake in the world: giant green anaconda.

The giant anaconda, sometimes also called the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), is a species of snake in the subfamily Boa constrictors. It lives in the tropical part of South America east of the Andes, Paraguay, Northern Bolivia, and French Guiana. The maximum recorded body length is 7.5 meters (25 feet), and the maximum recorded weight reaches 250 kilograms (550 pounds), although there are rumors of green anacondas being much larger. Reticulated python(Python reticulatus) from Southeast Asia is larger in body length but slimmer, and members of this species are reported to reach a maximum length of 9.7 meters (32 ft).

22. The world's largest bird: ostrich.

Ostrich, the most large bird on our planet (Struthio Camelus), found on the plains of Africa and Arabia. The scientific name of ostrich comes from Greek and means “camel sparrow.” A large male ostrich can reach a height of 2.8 meters (9.2 feet), and weigh more than 156 kilograms (345 pounds). Ostrich eggs can weigh up to 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds) and are the largest bird eggs in the world. modern world. Ostriches can develop when running maximum speed up to 97.5 km/h (60.6 mph), making the ostrich the fastest bird on earth and the fastest bipedal creature in the world.

The Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is a member of the pelican family. The Dalmatian Pelican's habitat covers a large area from South-Eastern Europe to India and China. Dalmatian pelicans live in swamps and shallow lakes. It is the largest of the pelicans, and on average members of this species can reach 160-180 centimeters (63-70 inches) in length, and weigh 11-15 kilograms (24-33 pounds). The Dalmatian Pelican has a wingspan of just over 3 meters (10 feet). With an average weight of 11.5 kilograms (25 lb), the Dalmatian Pelican is the heaviest flying bird. Although a large male bustard or swan can exceed a pelican in maximum weight.

24. Largest arthropod in the world: Japanese spider crab.

The Japanese spider crab is one of the species sea ​​crab, which lives in the waters off the coast of Japan. It has a leg span of 3.8 meters (12 feet) and can weigh up to 41 pounds (19 kilograms).

26. In its natural habitat, Japanese spider crab feeds on shellfish and animal carcasses and its lifespan can be up to 100 years.

Which elephant is the tallest in the world?
Traditionally, for some reason, we always talk about the weight of these land giants, but we don’t mention their height, although of course these two qualities are related. It is worth noting that height in four-legged animals is measured differently than in humans. Not to the top of the head, like ours, but to the withers.
Although it is unlikely that it will be possible to identify a specimen of the largest elephant, if it were possible to do this, then most likely it would be found among the very large family these animals, Loxodonta, or, as we are accustomed to call them, among African elephants.
Representatives of this genus are the largest animals on planet Earth. Their height varies (depending on gender) to 3.3 meters in males and 2.7 meters in females. The weight of these giants has even more impressive figures - for males it reaches 6 tons, and for females 3.
African elephants, as the name suggests, live in Africa, and more specifically, in its southern part. These animals once lived in the north of the continent, but today they have completely disappeared from there. In addition, the genus of African elephants is divided into two more species, the Savannah and the Forest. If we compare them, then the Savannah elephant is the largest.
It must be said that in history there was a precedent for the capture of the largest elephant, but who can say that in the wilds of the savanna there will not be an even bigger one? This specimen was shot in 1972, in Angola, and its mass reached 12 tons. He is the one who is the most big elephant of those officially registered. One can only guess about the height of such a giant.
African elephants, due to the demand for their precious tusks, are listed in the Red Book.

Photo of the tallest elephant

Elephant is the largest land mammal on our planet. Elephants belong to the order “proboscis”. Elephants use their trunks to drink, shower, and use them instead of hands. The trunk also helps to communicate with each other by making sounds. It is believed that elephants appeared 23 million years ago. At that time there were no African and Asian elephants, but there were already their relatives - mammoths and stegodons. Modern elephants live in tropical forests and savannahs. Scientists have listed them in the Red Book, as elephant tusks are valuable to poachers.

When wondering how much an elephant weighs, do not forget that an elephant eats 16 hours a day. During this time, he consumes half a ton of plant food and half as much water. Therefore, you should consider the weight of a hungry or well-fed elephant we're talking about. It is also worth remembering that younger individuals eat and drink half as much.

There are several species of elephants in the world, distinguished by weight and habitat. Let's take a closer look.

How much does an African elephant weigh?

Scientists recognize two species of African elephants - savannah and forest elephants. Perhaps in the near future a third species will be recognized - the East African one. Half a million individuals are divided as follows: one quarter are forest elephants and three quarters are savannah elephants.

The forest elephant is the smallest member of the family. An adult reaches up to two and a half meters in height. Its weight is 2500 in kilograms or 2.5 in tons.

The savannah elephant, on the other hand, is considered the largest animal in the world. The average weight of an adult male is 5 tons. Moreover, the weight of different representatives varies from 4 to 7 tons. The height reaches from 2.5 to 3.5 meters. The female weighs a little less - from 3 to 4.

Many people believe that African elephants are descended from mammoths. But these proboscis families are relatives. Mammoths weighed more - from 10 to 12 tons and reached a height of 5 meters. Thus, mammoths were 2 times larger than modern elephants.

How much does an Indian elephant weigh?

The Indian or Asian elephant is the second largest land-dwelling animal after the savannah elephant. Despite this, the weight of the Indian elephant is also amazing; on average, it weighs 5-6 tons. The weight of the female is 3 tons.

Asian elephants are found in the wild in India, Bhutan, Cambodia, the islands of Sri Lanka and Sumatra and some other places in Southeast Asia.

These elephants spend 20 hours a day searching for and eating plant food. At the same time, an adult elephant eats 150 - 300 kilograms of grass, bamboo and other vegetation per day.

Indian elephants are easier to tame. This species is found in circuses and zoos. Interestingly, the life expectancy of these elephants in captivity is 80 years, and in the wild - 60, maximum 70 years.

About the origin asian elephant There is still some debate going on. Some scientists believe that they descended from Stegodons, since they have a similar habitat. Stegodons are an extinct genus proboscis mammals. The main difference from elephants is the structure of the teeth and a stronger and more compact skeleton. But most scientists are sure that stegodons have no descendants.

The number of Asian elephants is approaching critical – 25 thousand individuals.

The heaviest elephant in the world

The heaviest elephant in the world was seen in the nineteenth century in Angola. The weight of the elephant seen by contemporaries in the city of Mukusso was 12.2 tons.

The largest elephant in the world lives in the Israel Zoo. The elephant's name is Yossi and he is a little over 30 years old. Of the elephants living in captivity, he is recognized as the tallest - his height reaches 3.7 meters and, as zoo staff say, he can hardly squeeze through the gate. Yossi's weight reached 6 tons. The length of the trunk is 2.5 meters, the tail is a meter. Over the course of his life, Yossi gave birth to 19 elephant calves.

Famous elephants

Elephants can laugh and are even able to draw a picture with their trunk. They have excellent memory and intelligence. Some members of the family even entered world history thanks to his unique abilities.

Thus, the elephant Batyr, who lived in the Karaganda Zoo, amazed spectators and employees with his voice, or rather onomatopoeia. The elephant repeated the sounds it heard - the barking of dogs, the speech of people, the singing of birds. But the “talking” elephant was never recognized, since scientists proved that the sounds it made were not speech. The elephant died at the age of 24.

Another elephant that can imitate human speech lives in a zoo in Korea. Elephant Kosik is able to reproduce 8 words in Korean. It is not yet known whether he understands their meaning.

The sad story of two brothers, the elephants Castor and Pollux, who were eaten at the zoo during the siege of Paris in the 19th century, has become public. Castor was killed first, this happened on December 29, 1870. Pollux was shot the next day. Political figure from England, Henry Labouchere tasted the meat of these unfortunate animals. This is how he described the meal:

“Yesterday I had a piece of Pollux for lunch. Pollux and his brother Castor are two elephants that were killed. It was tough, rough and greasy food and I don't recommend English families eat elephants as long as they can get beef or mutton.”

Savannah elephant Jumbo became the first circus and zoo animal. He is the mascot of Tufts University (USA). Lived in Paris, London, America. Died in front of trainer Matthew Scott: Jumbo was hit and killed by a locomotive. At that time, the elephant weighed 7 tons and was 4 meters tall. The circus suffered a loss of 100 thousand dollars, losing a celebrity. Jumbo's body was autopsied and the skeleton was sent to New York to the Museum of Natural History. Cornell University bought Jumbo's heart for $40. The tusks were used as souvenirs.

Guruvayur Keshavan is the most famous elephant in Kerala, India. He was presented as a gift to the Hare Krishna temple, and after his death he was immortalized with a full-size monument on its territory. His height was 3.2 meters. Kevashan was posthumously given the title "Gajarajan", meaning King of the Elephants.

The world knows the elephant Gabi, born through artificial insemination. Residents of 108 countries followed his birth via the Internet. Gabi was born in Israel in 2005. The elephant will be named in honor of the zoo veterinarian Gabi Eshkar, who inseminated the elephant Tamar. The elephant became pregnant 2 years later on the fourth attempt. Gabi is Tamar’s firstborn; at the time of his birth, Tamar was already 20 years old. Surprisingly, the baby elephant was born healthy, weighing 70 kg. Two years later, another artificial insemination was performed at the same zoo, but neither the mother nor the cub survived.

The infamous Asian elephant Topsy from Luna Park in New York. Over the course of three years, she killed three people, for which she was executed by electrocution on January 4, 1903. The elephant died within 10 seconds. One and a half thousand people attended the execution. 100 years later, Topsy was erected a monument at the Coney Island Museum.

The same fate awaited the elephant Mary, who was publicly hanged in the United States on September 13, 1916 for killing a man. The death occurred in the circus arena. Red Eldridge was supposed to bring Mary to the audience, but due to lack of experience in handling animals, he pierced her ear. This enraged Mary and she trampled Red to death. Because of the killing, the elephant gained popularity.

The elephant Hanako (born Katya) went down in history as a long-liver. Born in Thailand, she was the first elephant imported into Japan after World War II. Hanako has two kills to her name. However, she was not executed like Mary and Topsy; her paws were chained and put in a stable. Apparently that's why she became famous as the loneliest elephant in the world. Hanako lived to be 69 years old and died on May 26, 2016.

But Osama bin Laden, named after the terrorist, is considered the bloodiest Indian elephant. He has 27 murders, hundreds of destroyed houses and destroyed fields. The terrorist elephant could not be caught for a long time, since he covered his tracks and could quickly hide from the hunters. The killers even sent military detachments and police to search for the elephant. In December 2006, Osama bin Laden was shot at point-blank range.

The most famous Russian giant elephant lived in the Moscow Zoo. His name was Shango, he was 4.5 meters tall and weighed 5.5 tons. During the Great Patriotic War The animals were evacuated from the zoo, but Shango was so large that he could not fit into any carriage, so he was left in place. He did not allow his friend Jindau, who died during the bombing, to be evacuated. The giant died in 1961 at the age of 50. Dozens of literary stories have been written about Shango, the most famous of which is “The Elephant and the Radio.” The story is included in the collection “Deniska’s Stories”.

• There are left-handed and right-handed elephants, it depends on which tusk they use more often. Therefore, the tusks are always of different sizes, because one of them wears out faster.
• Elephants live in families led by one old and experienced elephant. Males live alone.
• A female elephant has a couple of days a year to conceive. The rest of the time, conception is impossible.
• If famine occurs and there is not enough food for the herd, then the female elephants live alone, getting their own food.
• The elephant carries the baby for 22 months. During her life, an elephant gives birth to up to 9 cubs.

• An elephant does not give birth alone; another elephant helps deliver the baby and takes the baby elephant so that its mother does not run over or trample it.
• Elephant milk is fatty - reaches 11%.
• An elephant's trunk has 500 muscles.
• Newborn elephants do not learn to control their trunk until they are two years old.
• The elephant spends 15-20 hours a day searching for food.
• In a day, an adult elephant eats up to 450 kg of plants and drinks up to 300 liters of water.
• Elephants are known for their loyalty.

• Elephants know how to rejoice, have fun, laugh, be sad and empathize.
• If an elephant from the herd is sick, healthy relatives look after it, bringing food and water.
• Only elephants bury a dead relative. This ritual is observed as follows: first they blow a trumpet into the trunk, and then bury the body with earth, branches and grass.
• Elephants can hear through their legs, picking up a signal while being 50 km from another elephant.
• Elephants live on average 70 years.
• An elephant's brain weighs 5 kg, and its heart weighs up to 30 kg.
• There are homosexuals among elephants.

• Elephants are born without tusks, then develop milk tusks, and only then permanent ones.
• An elephant tooth weighs 3 kg.
• The size of an African elephant's penis reaches 2 meters!
• An elephant defecates 130 kg of excrement per day.
• Elephants have poor vision, but their sense of smell helps them navigate.
• If an elephant finds a baby elephant that has lost its relatives, it will adopt it and not abandon it in trouble.

• 600 people are killed by elephants per year.
• Elephants sleep 3 hours a day and snore.
• African elephants are not trainable. Only the Indian elephant can be tamed.
• An elephant dies when its teeth wear down to the point that it is unable to chew its food.
• Elephants use their ears to cool themselves, using them as a fan.
• There are veins on the ears that create an individual pattern for each elephant. It's like a person's fingerprint.
• When swimming, the elephant uses its trunk as a breathing tube.

• The thickest layer of skin on an elephant reaches 4 centimeters.
• Elephants have excellent memory. Even after many years, they can take revenge on the offender. Elephants also remember the paths of other elephants.
• An elephant holds 7.5 liters of water in its trunk.
• Elephants cannot jump or run. At brisk walking An elephant reaches a speed of 40 km/h.
• Only the elephant among animals stands on its head.
• Elephants love to drink beer and even know how to prepare mash by throwing fruit into a pit, waiting for fermentation, and then drinking.
• Elephants are unpredictable animals, they can attack for no reason.
• September 22 is International Elephant Day.

These animals are considered very large, but good-natured. The largest elephant in the world is Yosya from the Safari Park in Ramat Gan (Israel). Its size reaches 3 meters and 75 centimeters. Today he is recognized as the largest elephant in the world.

There are 3 species and 2 genera of these animals: African and Indian elephants. African elephants can be divided into forest elephant and savannah. It is also interesting that crossing African and Indian elephants is impossible, since they are completely different individuals. Male African elephants are slightly larger than Indian elephants.

Elephants have many mysteries and secrets. what these animals have unique nature and habits that distinguish them from other animals. And even not the largest and most beautiful elephant in the world is able to surprise others with the peculiarities of its nature. Here are a few interesting facts what is known about these animals today.

1. Every elephant has ears different shapes. There are no two elephants in the world with the same ears, although, at first glance, it may seem that this is not the case.

3. Elephants can talk. True, at very low frequencies that the human ear is not capable of perceiving. And their speech is very similar to human speech. In conversation, elephants are capable of conveying many low sounds and intonations and expressing emotional states.

4. The heart of an adult elephant can beat about 30 times per minute. The average weight of this organ is 30 kilograms. For comparison, the human heart beats about 70 times per minute.

5. Average duration The life of an elephant is 80 years. At the same time, up to 50 years of age they are able to produce offspring.

6. Female Indian elephants do not have tusks.

7. Elephants eat exclusively plant foods. These animals usually spend a lot of time eating, sometimes eating for about 16 hours every day.

8. The pregnancy of a female elephant lasts a little less than 2 years. Typically this period is 22 months. A newborn elephant weighs about 100 kilograms. At the same time, all the elephants in the herd rejoice at the birth of the baby and depict emotions similar to joy.

9. A female elephant can only conceive a baby elephant for a few days a year.

10. Elephants can be vindictive, despite their outward good nature. These animals do not forgive insults and can remember them after many years. When angry, an elephant can be very dangerous and trample its offender. At the same time, he will not chase his prey, but can behave very aggressively if it approaches him.

11. Elephants have the most large brain Among all mammals, it weighs about 5 kilograms.

12. These animals never abandon their elephants. If the mother dies, then other elephants in the herd begin to inspect them until they grow up.

13. Even if an elephant falls into a hole, other animals help him get out. They begin to lower their trunks into the hole and gradually help the poor fellow out. However, there are cases when an elephant, left without a trunk, can survive. The flock does not leave him and feeds him like a child. The elephant itself will not be able to feed without a trunk.

14. Elephants always live in packs. These are collective animals that always help each other. However, in rare cases there are solitary elephants. They are very aggressive and dangerous, including to humans.

15. Elephants are only aggressive if they feel pain. An animal with a broken tusk, like any wounded one, can be very aggressive and attack a person. The elephant is very dangerous. Such individuals do not join the pack and, if they manage to survive, they again become ordinary elephants and are no different from other animals.

16. From the outside, elephants may seem very slow and clumsy, but this is not so. If an elephant wants to eat or bathe in a river, then it becomes incredibly active and its movements are quite light.

17. African elephants often become victims of poachers, because their tusks are worth their weight in gold. However, hunting them was banned 50 years ago. It is for this reason that their birth rate has risen today. Now the ban on killing them remains in some countries.

18. In India, it is customary to decorate elephants with ribbons, flowers, beautiful and expensive fabrics. And the animals don’t resist this one bit.

19. In reserves where there are elephants, it is undesirable to cross their path. They can easily turn over your car with just their trunk.

20. The African elephant, unlike the Asian one, has tusks, and the shape of the ears is slightly different.

21. Elephants love water treatments. They pour water on themselves with their trunk, like a fountain. This helps them escape the heat, since elephants do not have sweat glands.

What do elephants like?

Even the elephant in the world loves sweet oranges, mangoes and other fruits. Therefore, those who visit the zoo can take a couple of bright fruits with them. Usually elephants happily accept such gifts and are very happy about oranges, like children about sweets.