Most people know the elephant as a huge, kind, but sad and clumsy animal. These giants are very friendly, sociable and caring. Tourists are always attracted by these giants. They are interested in different questions: why do they have big ears; how long do elephants get pregnant and who is in charge in the herd?
Lifestyle
Elephants are considered the largest animals that can be found on land. These giants belong to the class of mammals and are very social animals. Their natural habitat is Southeast Asia and Africa.
Elephants live in families, and in families there is complete matriarchy, and males are expelled from the herd at a young age (or they leave on their own). Adult males live solitary and approach the family only to mate with a sexually mature female. The elephant family consists of the elder elephant, her daughters (with children) and other female relatives.
By nature, elephants are nomads. It is the eldest female who leads her family in search of food, and she decides where to go, where and how long to rest.
These huge animals are very sociable and enjoy communicating with their own kind. Tactile contact plays a huge role in the lives of giants. They touch each other with their trunks, stroke as a sign of greeting, the older ones kick the younger ones as punishment. Members of the same family treat each other with great attention, special care and attention goes to a sick or dying elephant.
The question of how long an elephant's pregnancy lasts has long been controversial in scientific circles. But today, thanks to the observations, research and documentation of zoologists, much is known about the period of pregnancy, childbirth and subsequent care for the cub of these mighty herbivores.
Elephant: pregnancy
Months of pregnancy, of course, the elephant herself does not count. But elephants are the leader in the period of bearing offspring. The female elephant's pregnancy is the longest.
The question of how long an elephant's pregnancy lasts is one of the most popular after questions about a woman's pregnancy. These herbivores carry offspring from 20 to 22 months (almost 2 years).
By the 19th month, the fetus is almost formed and only gaining weight. When the elephant feels that the hour of childbirth is approaching, she moves away from the herd. Often, a woman in labor is accompanied by another elephant. Childbirth lasts more than 2hours.
Earlier, scientists believed that the gestation period of an elephant depends on the gender of the calf. It was believed that if a male elephant was to be born, then the pregnancy would be several months longer. During the research, this assumption was rejected. The gestation period of an elephant is influenced by climate, weather conditions, food and the individual characteristics of the female.
Maturity occurs at the 10-12th year of life. In a lifetime, a female can give birth to up to 9 baby elephants; twins are extremely rare. It takes 4 or 5 years after giving birth for the elephant to get pregnant again.
Cub
After various studies, scientists have explained such a long period of pregnancy for an elephant. The fact is that the cub in the womb develops very well in all directions: physically and mentally. And within half an hour after birth, the baby can stand up and follow his mother.
A baby elephant feeds on mother's milk up to a year and a half (although maybe up to the fifth year of life). To feed the baby, the female stands over the mound. The baby elephant climbs this hill and reaches the udder. If the female is the firstborn, she may not know this way of feeding, the baby elephant will not reach the udder and will remain hungry. More experienced females will run to his cry, and if among them there is a “milk” one, then she will feed him.
In the first year of life, the baby elephant does not know how to use the trunk, so he drinks water and sucks milk with his mouth. Over time, the mother teaches the baby to ownwith his trunk. The baby begins to take solid food from 6 months, but only from two years can he completely switch to an adult diet. Elephants, like little children, love to play, get dirty and have fun.
Maternity
Baby elephants quickly learn to live in a family. By the way, young females who have not yet reached puberty (2-11 years old) look after newborns. It is believed that this is how they try on the role of a mother.
Elephant up to 4 years old is in great need of a mother, she watches him, leads him. There is always tactile contact between them: she flaps her trunk, lightly pushes her foot, touches her tail, the baby rubs against her leg if he is tired of walking, and about his mother's stomach if he is hungry.
Elephants take great care of their offspring, and if something threatens them, they wrap their trunks around the babies and carry them away.
Interesting facts
For many, the fact how long an elephant's pregnancy lasts is in itself amusing and arouses curiosity. But nature has awarded these amazing animals with various unusual abilities and qualities, which is often the reason for the spread of legends and popular expressions:
- Despite their size, elephants are very good swimmers.
- They have a well-developed self-awareness for representatives of the animal world, they recognize themselves in the mirror.
- They use tools, like using a branch as a fly swatter.
- Studies have shown that they have a very good memory (they complete tasks in the study, and recognize their relatives in nature).
- There is a legend that elephants are afraid of mice,because one small rodent can crawl into the trunk and block the air supply. It is not true. Even if the mouse gets into the trunk, the elephant will blow it out with furious force.
- These animals have a well-developed musical ear and memory, they are able to distinguish three-note melodies.
- Ears are used for body temperature regulation and fanning.
- Elephant's ear vein pattern is as unique as a human fingerprint.
- Adults sleep standing up.
- They can jump because they only have 2 kneecaps.
