Asian Elephants The Curious COnservationist

Have you heard the saying,

"An elephant never forgets?"

Well, that should be followed with

"and one will never forget an elephant. . "

Elephant family in Sri Lanka's Wasgamuwa National Park

During my trip, exploring the savannas and jungles of Sri Lanka, I was fortunate enough to meet some remarkable people that work to save these gentle giants and the places they call home. Join me as we discover the Asian elephant!

1. All in the name.

A female Asian elephant giving herself a dust bath in the setting sun. Image by Ms. Mallory Adventures

The scientific name of the Asian elephant is Elephas maximus. Elephas - from Latin elephantus from Greek elephant-, elephas meaning "elephant, ivory" (perhaps of Hamitic origin) (Gove 1971) Maximus - Latin maximus meaning "greatest" (superlative of magnus "great, large"). There are three subspecies of Asian elephant – the Indian, Sumatran and Sri Lankan.

2. A true giant.

Image by Ms. Mallory Adventures

The elephant is the largest land animal. Although the Asian elephant is slightly smaller than its African cousin, it can still weigh up to 5.5 tons (4,990 kg).

3. More than a nose.

An orphan at the Elephant Transit Home in Sri Lanka helps its caretakers by holding its own 'bottle' with its trunk. Image by Ms. Mallory Adventures

An elephant uses its trunk for breathing, smelling, touching, grasping, and producing sound. It contains over 100,000 muscles. Just like walking, baby elephants must also learn how to use their trunks.

4. Superpower hearing.

Asian elephants have much smaller, rounder ears than their African cousins. Image by Ms. Mallory

Elephants have a complex language consisting of rumbles, squeals, cries, screams, roars, and snorts. Elephants frequently use infrasonic sounds, which are sounds emitted below the human hearing range, in long—distance communication. Research has shown that elephants are capable of recognizing calls and voices of particular individuals from 1 to 1.5 km (0.6-0.9 mi.) away!

5. A giant vegetarian.

Elephant grass is a main food source for the elephants in Wasgamuwa NP. Image by Ms. Mallory Adventures

Elephants eat roots, grasses, fruit, and bark, and they eat a lot of these things. An adult elephant can consume up to 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of food in a single day. Cultivated crops such as bananas, rice and sugarcane are also favoured foods - sometimes bringing them into conflict with humans.

6. Girls Rule!

Herds are led by the head 'matriarch,' usually the largest, oldest female. Image by Ms. Mallory Adventures

Elephants have a lifespan of up to 80 years and naturally live in family groups containing many generations of females and their calves. Males must leave the family group once they reach puberty.

7. It's all relative.

The closest living relative to the elephant is the hyrax, a small rodent-like animal, and sirenians such as manatees and dugongs.

8. The longest pregnancy.

Orphans at the Elephant Transit Home beside the Udawalawe NP. They can drink up to 3 gallons in a day.

An elephant’s gestation period is twenty-two months, longer than any other mammal. A calf is dependent on its mother for milk for three years; however, they will always stay with their family herd. A newborn calf will weigh about 200 pounds and stand three feet tall.

9. Important jobs.

Elephants are a keystone species, which means they have a large impact on their environment and the other animals that live in it. Elephants can knock down trees, create new paths, spread seeds, and dig water holes for water during times of drought.

10. They need our help.

One-hundred years ago, more than 20,000 wild Asian elephants inhabited Sri Lanka. Today, the population numbers only 5,000. Image by Ms. Mallory Adventures

Asian elephants are listed as an endangered species. More than 100,000 Asian elephants may have existed at the start of the 20th century, but numbers have fallen by at least 50% over the last three generations, and they are still in decline today.

Habitat loss. Poaching. Human-Elephant Conflicts. These are the top 3 reasons why Asian elephant populations are getting smaller.

How Can You Help Asian elephants?

How can you help? You don't have to travel to Asia to make a difference!

1. Don't buy ivory- Obvious, I know. But I had to say it, just in case.

2. Learn about elephants- Knowledge is power. The more you know, the more you can teach others.

3. Show and Tell- Make a poster to share with your class about what you learned about elephants.

4. Join the movement- Get involved with organizations that help wildlife and the wild places they call home. Some of my favorites are:

Do you love wildlife, wild places, and learning how you can make a difference to help them? Sign up for the Step Outside and Adventure Newsletter today!

www.MsMalloryAdventures.com

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Until Next time, this is Ms. Mallory inviting you to. . .

Created By
Mallory Lindsay
Appreciate
Mallory Lindsay Ms. Mallory Adventures

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