<strong>Elephantine Facts: Here’s what you didn’t know about these gentle ‘giants’ </strong>
Many of you have been amused at the sight of elephants on your trip to the zoo with parents. Some of you may have seen these massive, sentient creatures. These otherwise gentle animals have captivated the hearts of kids and adults alike. But you don't really much about them, right? So, here are the basics first. Currently, we have only three different species of elephant: African Savannah elephant, African Forest elephant and Asian elephant. They are the largest land animals that we know of! Male African elephants can be as tall as 10 feet and weigh between 4,000 -7,500kg. Asian elephants, on the other hand, are a bit smaller: 8 feet in height and and weighing 3,000– 6,000kg. Despite extensive research on these giant creatures, there's much to learn, starting from some of their features to their behaviour. Here's our guide to a few intriguing elephant facts that you probably didn't know about.
Why do elephants have wrinkled skin?
One of the characteristic features of elephants, besides their big body, big ears and trunk, is their wrinkled skin. Unlike in humans, wrinkles on elephants are not signs of old age. It simply means their body is well-adapted to the African temperature. African elephants lack the sweat glands that allow many other mammals, including humans, to keep cool. If you’ve noticed, Asian elephants are smoother than their African counterparts, as the former live in wetter environments and do not have to bother about keeping cool.
Scientists who studied the wrinkles under the microscope found that the crevices on the elephant's skin help retain 5 to 10 times more moisture than smooth skin. As this trapped liquid evaporates, it enables elephants to regulate their body temperature and prevent dehydration.
Why do elephants have big ears?
Both African and Asian elephants have large ears, but the size and the shape vary. In fact, you will be able to differentiate the two elephant species by simply looking at their ears. African elephants have larger ears, interestingly in the shape of the African continent, while their Asian cousins have smaller, more rounded ears. Ears of the elephants pretty much serve the same purpose as the wrinkles. If you’re wondering what this means, here’s your answer. This is the mechanism that mammals use in order to maintain body temperature with tightly controlled self-regulation, irrespective of external temperatures.
As the pachyderms live in a hot climate, they have to release the built-up body heat back to the environment to regulate their temperature. An elephant's thin ears are filled with a network of blood vessels. As blood circulates through the vessels in the ear, it cools down and then circulates into the rest of the body. When elephants flap their ears, they are not only getting rid of bugs but also promoting blood circulation to the ears and thereby transferring excess body heat back to the environment. This process is called evaporative cooling. As African elephants live in hotter climates than Asian elephants, their ears are bigger. By the way, elephants have an excellent hearing capacity, much stronger than us, humans. Ability. Looks like nature has its Mother Nature has unique gifts for every creature that she nurtures!
Why do elephants get wild sometimes?
Elephants are considered gentle giants. But at times, they can become aggressive too. This is true to both wild and captive elephants. Those in captivity can go to the extent of attacking their own keeper when they go wild.
But wait, when do elephants display their wild streaks? Even the placid ones become violent when they are in ‘musth’. Musth is a periodic natural condition usually seen in healthy male elephants when they experience an increase in reproductive hormones. This causes the jumbos to become restless, energetic and aggressive. They become irritable and oversensitive to sounds and movements. However, whether this hormonal surge is the sole cause of musth, or merely a contributing factor, is yet to be known!
Elephants going on a rampage on streets could also be attributed to human-animal conflict. They need a large space to roam, with lots of vegetation and abundant water supplies. When their spaces are taken over by human settlement and they are kept locked in cramped facilities, they could perceive certain activities as a threat and may act aggressively in defence.