The elephant is one of the largest representatives of the animal world that exists on Earth. Previously, there were many varieties of these giants on our planet. Today the African elephant and the Indian elephant live among us. This species of animals included both mammoths, which died out during the Ice Age, and mastodons, which disappeared before the advent of people in America, where they lived. The difference between the two remaining species is significant, so it would be appropriate to compare the African and Indian elephants.
Features of life
These animals can be found in various parts of the Earth. They live in a herd, in which there can be from ten to thirty small elephants and elephants. Also, it must have an adult, authoritative leader.
Each elephant gives birth to an average of five baby elephants in her life. Family ties in herds are very close. So, there are groups in which aboutone hundred individuals connected by blood ties. Elephants do not have a fixed place of residence. They are in motion all their lives, moving from place to place, eating vegetation and spending the night near a reservoir.
Main difference
What is the difference between Indian and African elephant? The most important difference between these two species is visible to the naked eye. These are the dimensions. The African elephant and the Indian elephant do not naturally occur in the same area. Their habitats are located at a distance from each other, and the transportation of animals is a laborious process. But if it were real, then one would notice that the African elephant is larger than its counterpart from India.
The largest elephant reaches a height of 4 meters. The length of his body is about 7 meters. An African elephant can weigh up to 7 tons. In contrast, the Indian elephant weighs a maximum of 5 tons. Its height can be about 3 meters, and the length is 5-6 meters. It is believed that the African elephant is a descendant of the mastodon, and the Indian is the mammoth.
Ears and tusks
The African elephant differs from the Indian elephant in several details of appearance. First, animals from Africa have much larger ears than their Indian counterparts. They can be up to 1.5 meters long. The shape of the African elephant's ears is more rounded. The Indian elephant has slightly elongated and slightly pointed ears. One of the most obvious distinguishing features between the two species is the presence of tusks. In African representatives of the fauna, theyavailable without fail.
This applies to both males and females, whose tusks are slightly shorter. The presence of tusks in animals from India is a rarity. And if they occur, then only in males. Such individuals in India are called makhna. The tusks of Indian elephants are not very long and almost straight. Despite the fact that African and Indian elephants are related, the differences between them are significant.
Color and body structure
The African elephant and the Indian elephant also differ in color. Animals from Africa have skin color from slightly brown to gray. There are a lot of folds or wrinkles on its surface. Indian elephants are dark gray to brown in color. A distinctive feature of their body is a small vegetation on the skin.
How else do African and Indian elephants differ? The structure of their body is also not the same. So, Indian elephants have a slightly humpbacked back, unlike their counterparts from Africa, which have a straight or slightly arched spine. Despite their smaller stature, animals from India seem to be more massive. This is due to the fact that their legs are shorter and thicker. African elephants have long legs due to their diet.
They have to get the vegetation from the trees. Indian animals also feed on pasture in the form of grass. Their trunk has one finger-like process, while the representatives of the African species have two.
If we consider the footprints of these animals,then we can say with certainty what kind of elephant passed here. This is possible due to the structural features of the limbs of these giants from different continents. African elephants usually have five hooves on their front legs (rarely four). The hind limbs of these animals have three hooves. Indian elephants have five hooves on their front legs and four on their back. Therefore, even on the trail, you can determine the type of animal.
Internal structure
African and Indian elephants have external differences that even a non-specialist in this field can see. Arriving at a zoo or circus, you can easily determine the type of animal. But they also have some internal features that the average person cannot recognize.
So, the African elephant has 21 pairs of ribs. In contrast, an animal from another continent has only 19 pairs of these bones. Indian elephants have 26 tail vertebrae, while their African counterparts have 33 tail vertebrae. There are also differences in the structure of the molars.
In Indian elephants, puberty occurs at 15-20 years of age. In this they are ahead of their relatives from the African continent. For the latter, this period begins at the age of 25.
Character traits
Differences between animals are not only in their internal and external structure, but also in their character and temperament. Indian elephants are very friendly and get along well with people. They are easier to tame, which is what a person uses, attracting these giants to do hard work (for example, fortransportation of goods). Indian elephants are also easier to train, which is why they often perform in the circus. Animals from the African continent are more aggressive. They are harder to tame, but doable. Mostly they remain to live in natural conditions. But there are examples of the use of these animals. For example, African elephants participated in the campaigns of Hannibal many centuries ago.
Habitat
The structural features of elephants depend largely on their habitat. Indian elephants are common in parts of India, Burma, East Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Sumatra, Ceylon and Malacca. Their habitats are dense forests with tall grasses. African elephants are found in many parts of Africa, and more specifically in Botswana, Ethiopia, Namibia. Their habitat is varied. However, these giants cannot be found in deserts and semi-deserts. The African elephant and the Indian elephant are related animals, each of which is interesting in its own way.
