The African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

The African Elephant is the world’s largest living land animal. Adult bulls can weigh anything up to 6000kg(13000lbs) and attain a shoulder height of 3-3,5m(12ft), consume around 160kg(350lbs) on a variety of plants and drink up tp 300L of water a day.

Some 18hrs out of 24hrs are spent feeding with the remainder of the time spent sleeping and resting. The trunk is a muscular extension of the upper lip containing two nostrils. Their teeth consist of 6 sets of cheek teeth, 2 upper and 2 lower. The upper incisors are modified as continuously growing tusks and these can weigh up to 50kg(110lbs) on average in older males/bulls. A pair of tusks are also referred to as ‘Master & Slave’ tusk. Which is which you may wonder!? Well, the shorter of the two is called the ‘slave tusk’. This tusk is primarily used for doing all the work like digging up roots and breaking bark off trees. The slave tusk will also indicate whether the animal is either ‘right or left handed’, how about that?!

Did you know that an African Elephant has 4 toes on each front foot and 3 toes on each hind foot!? Ever noticed that secretion flowing down on either side of the head near the eyes?   This is often seen in most or all herd members. When a copious flow of this  sticky and pungent smelling secretion is observed, especially in males/bulls, then this bull is referred to be “in musth”, a term used in describing the animal to be sexually active, however, it may also indicate a high level of stress it may be experiencing. This  ‘temporal gland’ is also responsible for the secretion which is used for scent-marking an area and this is done by rubbing it on trees and rocks, which in turn ‘advertises’ the animal’s breeding activity.

Elephants have no natural enemies as such, except man in areas where they are still hunted or poached for their ivory and or meat. Small calves may fall prey to lions and hyenas though when they stray from their mother on a herd seperation.  Have you ever wondered how old a Elephant can grow ? Well, how about 70 years of age…yes that’s true and did you know that it is not the dominant bull that leads the main herd but the oldest cow in the herd that does the leading.

Compiled by Sukulu Safaris CC information centre