African Elephant - Travel Kenya - Kenya Africas' Safari Destination
Loxodonta africana and Africana cyclotis<P>The elephant is largest land mammal on earth today and is Africaò€™s King of beasts. There are two species of African Elephant i.e. African savanna elephant, <I>(Loxodonta africana)</I> and the African forest elephant<I>(Africana cyclotis)</I>
The male weighs about 5000-6000 kg (5-6)tonnes, has height of 9.10 feetÒ to 11 feet (3-3.3 m).Females normally weigh 3000-3500 kg(3-3.5 tonnes), grows to a height of 8.4 feet (2.5 meters).
The African Elephants have a concave curves on their back and both male and females have large tusks which start appearing at the age of about two years and continue growing throughout their lives. The tusks are used for peeling bark off trees, digging and sometimes as a weapon from other enemies by punching or thrusting it to them. The trunk is also used for drinking and water bathing.
Elephants have strong smelling senses and can locate water by just smelling above the ground above, have 2 teats between forelegs. Elephants generally have bad eyesight owing to their small eyes. They huge ears, measuring up to 6.5 x 5 feet (2 x 1.5 meters).Their bigÒ are also used to control body temperatures by flapping to cool the blood circulating through the large vessels in the ears.
Their feet have four toes on front feet and three on rear feet. The skin is naked with scattered bristles and sensory hairs with either gray or brown colours.Its skin is up to 2.5 cm in thickness in some areas.
Elephants have deep family bonds and live in tight social units. These families are led by an older matriarch and mostly with three or four of her offspring and their young ones. The males leave their family units atÒ between the ages of 12-15 and may lead adult lives on their own.
Elephants spend over 14 hours every day eating a diet mainly made ofÒ grass, leaves, twigs, barks, roots and fruits. They consume 6% of their bodyweight and therefore have a great impact on the environment if in protected areas. With a daily intake of about 150 liters of water, elephants require easy access to the commodity both for refreshment and bathing.
Elephant cows can give birth to a calf weighing 120 kgs at birth after every four years and its"s gestation period is about 20-22 months. Elephantò€™sÒ life expectancy is sixty years.
There has been a drastic decline in their population due to human uncontrolled hunting for their ivory and destruction of their natural territories. This has led to conservation of elephants in protected areas. These Old and sickly elephants must be periodically culled to keep populations within the carrying capacity of the conservational areas and sales of the ivory and other elephant products usually helping to meet the operating costs of the parks.
The only known elephant predator are human beings armed with firearms ready to kill and take their tasks