In 1989, the African elephant was listed under Appendix I by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), making trade illegal. [186], Elephants have been represented in art since Paleolithic times. Asian males are usually solitary, but occasionally form groups of two or more individuals; the largest consisted of seven bulls. [44] Floppy trunk syndrome is a condition of trunk paralysis in African bush elephants caused by the degradation of the peripheral nerves and muscles beginning at the tip. In Thailand, some elephants are white. The trunk is composed of 40,000 muscles and has great power. Your email address will not be published. [170], The use of elephants in circuses has also been controversial; the Humane Society of the United States has accused circuses of mistreating and distressing their animals. [146] The total population of Asian elephants is estimated to be around 40,000–50,000, although this may be a loose estimate. [122], Elephants produce several sounds, usually through the larynx, though some may be modified by the trunk. [32], Several species of proboscideans lived on islands and experienced insular dwarfism. [187] In Asia, the animals are depicted as motifs in Hindu and Buddhist shrines and temples. After 1987, losses in elephant numbers accelerated, and savannah populations from Cameroon to Somalia experienced a decline of 80%. [192] The animals' religious importance is only totemic in Africa[193] but is much more significant in Asia. [50] Tuskless males exist and are particularly common among Sri Lankan elephants. The ear flaps, or pinnae, contain numerous blood vessels called capillaries. A male may stop showing signs of musth when he encounters a musth male of higher rank. Copulation lasts about 45 seconds and does not involve pelvic thrusting or ejaculatory pause. [185] The story of the blind men and an elephant teaches that reality can be observed from different perspectives. As in heterosexual interactions, this involves mounting. [139], African elephants were listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2008, with no independent assessment of the conservation status of the two forms. This can be characterized by its unique glottal opening/closing pattern. While the elephant brain is larger overall, it is proportionally smaller. In addition, they are tilted at 45 degrees and positioned more anteriorly than a human's vocal folds. [19] One notable species of this epoch was Eritreum melakeghebrekristosi of the Horn of Africa, which may have been an ancestor to several later species. One day, a ruler came to see the Emperor of China. This individual was even able to score a high accuracy rating when re-tested with the same visual pairs a year later. They are generally very slow animals and walk around in herds, with other adult elephants and children. [121], Visual displays mostly occur in agonistic situations. [188] One of the most important Hindu deities, the elephant-headed Ganesha, is ranked equal with the supreme gods Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. By contrast, small mammals such as rodents develop gigantism in these conditions. Selfish human activities have always found a way to mistreat animals. [7] In the Late Pleistocene, most proboscidean species vanished during the Quaternary glaciation which killed off 50% of genera weighing over 5 kg (11 lb) worldwide. English You're like a mouse looking at the foot of an elephant, and most of the organism is overhead, unseen. This strengthens the bones while still allowing haematopoiesis. [33] The Columbian mammoth colonised the Channel Islands and evolved into the pygmy mammoth. Elephants can be trained easily, and they entertain spectators in the zoo. [97] A dominance hierarchy exists among males, whether they range socially or solitarily. [189] The ancient Romans, who kept the animals in captivity, depicted anatomically accurate elephants on mosaics in Tunisia and Sicily. [76] African elephants are mostly browsers while Asian elephants are mainly grazers. The second set of chewing teeth falls out at four to six years old. They are known for their large floppy ears, tusks made of ivory, long trunks and their intelligence. Although Asian elephants are declining in numbers overall, particularly in Southeast Asia, the population in the Western Ghats appears to be increasing. [2], Elephants belong to the family Elephantidae, the sole remaining family within the order Proboscidea which belongs to the superorder Afrotheria. [113], Gestation in elephants typically lasts around two years with interbirth intervals usually lasting four to five years. Many straws may bind an elephant. [169] Elephants in European zoos appear to have shorter lifespans than their wild counterparts at only 17 years, although other studies suggest that zoo elephants live as long those in the wild. At Mount Elgon, elephants excavate caves that are used by ungulates, hyraxes, bats, birds and insects. The first (or anovulatory) surge, could signal to males that the female is in oestrus by changing her scent, but ovulation does not occur until the second (or ovulatory) surge. [72] Another possible function for this adaptation is that it helps the animal suck up water through the trunk. This organ is associated with sexual behaviour, and males secrete a fluid from it when in musth. Dwarf elephants of uncertain descent lived in Crete, Cyclades, and Dodecanese while dwarf mammoths are known to have lived in Sardinia. When removed, ivory begins to dry up and crack if not kept cool and moist. They have a very calm mind and seem to mind their own business most often. elephant in the room A matter or problem that is obvious or of great importance but that is not discussed openly. They have a hindgut fermentation system, and their large and small intestines together reach 35 m (115 ft) in length. They are a very important part of our nature. [30][31] The upper second incisors grew into tusks, which varied in shape from straight, to curved (either upward or downward), to spiralled, depending on the species. Proponents of zoos argue that they offer researchers easy access to the animals and provide money and expertise for preserving their natural habitats, as well as safekeeping for the species. the elephant will escape and run then come back ur parents sacrificed their comforts for our better life. However, female elephants do not separate from their dear ones and live in groups. A baby elephant is known as a calf. [96] Musth appears to signal to females the condition of the male, as weak or injured males do not have normal musths. It helps grasses and bushes to grow. They were equipped with armour to protect their sides, and their tusks were given sharp points of iron or brass if they were large enough. [90], Female elephants spend their entire lives in tight-knit matrilineal family groups, some of which are made up of more than ten members, including three mothers and their dependent offspring, and are led by the matriarch which is often the eldest female. elephant - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. Once the male elephants become adults, they separate from their pack and prefer living a solitary life. [156] They are valued over mechanised tools because they can work in relatively deep water, require relatively little maintenance, need only vegetation and water as fuel and can be trained to memorise specific tasks. Elephants spend 12-18 hours a day eating grass, plants and food using their trunks to lift it to their mouths. [148] The ivory trade contributed to the African elephant population decline in the late 20th century. There are typically nine groups in a clan. [35], Elephants are the largest living terrestrial animals. [195] In Islamic tradition, the year 570 when Muhammad was born is known as the Year of the Elephant. [78] Both males and family groups typically move 10–20 km (6–12 mi) a day, but distances as far as 90–180 km (56–112 mi) have been recorded in the Etosha region of Namibia. This gap is helpful for the growth of new plants. In southern India, elephant populations may contain family groups, bond groups and possibly clans. [130] When detecting the seismics of an alarm call signalling danger from predators, elephants enter a defensive posture and family groups will pack together. Asian elephants were always more common than their African counterparts in modern zoos and circuses. A unique sphincter-like muscle around the ear canal constricts the passageway, thereby dampening acoustic signals and allowing the animal to hear more seismic signals. [79] At Chobe National Park, Botswana, herds travel 325 km (202 mi) to visit the river when the local waterholes dry up. When they get irritated, they can be wildly dangerous. [27], Proboscideans experienced several evolutionary trends, such as an increase in size, which led to many giant species that stood up to 500 cm (16 ft 5 in) tall. Synonyms & Antonyms of elephant something or someone that is unusually large and powerful by any standard, the new shopping mall will be an elephant and one that is certain to alter the retail landscape Let us get to know a bit more about these beautiful beings. These animals were relatively small and aquatic. [165], Elephants were historically kept for display in the menageries of Ancient Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. [140] Due to the vast areas involved, assessing the total African elephant population remains difficult and involves an element of guesswork. [62] Since the limb bones are placed on top of each other and under the body, an elephant can stand still for long periods of time without using much energy. One elephant has been observed to graze by kneeling on its front legs, raising on its hind legs and taking in grass with its lips. [99], Elephants are polygynous breeders,[100] and copulations are most frequent during the peak of the wet season. [188] In Buddhism, Buddha is said to have been a white elephant reincarnated as a human. If a calf wants to rest, it will press against its mother's front legs and when it wants to suckle, it will touch her breast or leg. Elephant Academy has graduated 1000s of students over the past 10 years. At Amboseli, bulls under 24 do not go into musth, while half of those aged 25–35 and all those over 35 do. [150] This has been called "one of the worst concentrated killings" since the ivory ban. Dominance depends on the age, size and sexual condition,[96] and when in groups, males follow the lead of the dominant bull. [75] The lions of Savuti, Botswana, have adapted to hunting elephants, mostly juveniles or sub-adults, during the dry season, and a pride of 30 lions has been normally recorded killing juvenile individuals between the ages of four and eleven years, and a bull of about 15 years in an exceptional case. The majority of an elephant's food intake goes undigested despite the process lasting up to a day. [70] The lungs are attached to the diaphragm, and breathing relies mainly on the diaphragm rather than the expansion of the ribcage. 1. either of the two proboscidean mammals of the family Elephantidae. These tusks look like canine teeth and protect them from their enemies. Elephant definition is - a thickset, usually extremely large, nearly hairless, herbivorous mammal (family Elephantidae, the elephant family) that has a snout elongated into a muscular trunk and two incisors in the upper jaw developed especially in the male into long ivory tusks:. They use only two gaits when moving on land: the walk and a faster gait similar to running. For the African elephants, tusks are present in both males and females, and are around the same length in both sexes, reaching up to 300 cm (9 ft 10 in),[50] but those of males tend to be thicker. [92], Bulls engage in a behaviour known as mate-guarding, where they follow oestrous females and defend them from other males. You can tell the difference between Asian and African elephants from the shape of their ears because they are shaped as the maps of India and Africa. [91] She remains leader of the group until death[86] or if she no longer has the energy for the role;[92] a study on zoo elephants showed that when the matriarch died, the levels of faecal corticosterone ('stress hormone') dramatically increased in the surviving elephants. Elephants are mammals of the family Elephantidae and the largest existing land animals. A greeting rumble is emitted by members of a family group after having been separated for several hours. The nasal septum is composed of tiny muscle units that stretch horizontally between the nostrils. [21], The second radiation was represented by the emergence of the gomphotheres in the Miocene,[21] which likely evolved from Eritreum[20] and originated in Africa, spreading to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. These cavities give the inside of the skull a honeycomb-like appearance. The muscles work both with and against each other. They are being deprived of food and shelter. 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