Category: Elephant behaviors

Categories
Elephant behaviors

Abnormal behaviors in Elephants; Swaying is normally linked to distress

There are some Elephants behaviors that can be said to be natural or stereotypical, but then there are some that are considered to be abnormal. The swaying of an Elephant is something that is often linked to distress, so if you see an Elephant swaying then it’s likely that something is wrong. Other abnormal behaviors in Elephants include:

  • Playing with objects that aren’t toys
  • Obsessively chewing on things
  • Self-mutilation
  • Excessive shaking or twitching
  • Aggression towards people or other animals

However, it has also been noted that some captive elephants sway due to an instinctual need to keep balance. Swaying can also be a sign of physical discomfort, such as when an elephant is experiencing joint pain.

Trunk-in-air behaviour is another sign of distress in elephants. This is when an elephant lifts its trunk up in the air and waves it around, often while making a trumpeting sound. This behaviour is usually only seen when an elephant is severely distressed or agitated.

Continue reading “Abnormal behaviors in Elephants; Swaying is normally linked to distress”
Categories
Elephant behaviors Elephants in the wild Questions & Answers (FAQs)

Can Elephants swim? They even swim underwater!

Elephants are known to be big and bulky animals. Many people think that they cannot move or swim very well because of just that, their size. However, elephants are excellent swimmers and capable of crossing rivers and even swimming underwater!

The largest ever recorded elephant swim was over 22 miles long and took place in India. The elephant trunk serves as a snorkel while they’re swimming, this helps them to breathe while they are underwater.

While most elephants live on land, there are some that live in swampy areas. These elephants have webbed feet that help them to swim through the water.

Elephants are amazing creatures and it is fascinating to learn about all of the things they can do! It is clear that they are not limited by their size, but rather, they are able to use their abilities to adapt to their environment and survive.

Read on for more amazing facts about why elephants can swim.

Continue reading “Can Elephants swim? They even swim underwater!”
Categories
Elephant behaviors Elephants in the wild Questions & Answers (FAQs)

Why do Elephants have big ears? (hint: it goes beyond hearing)

For an elephant, their huge ears are crucial to their survival beyond only hearing.

The large size of the elephant ears allows them to regulate their body temperature, mainly to drop their body temperature during hot days. Blood vessels in the ear are close to the surface, so when they need to cool down, they flap their ears to create airflow and release heat.

Read on to find out more reasons why the Elephants have such big ears as well as differences in ear size between the different species of Elephants.

Continue reading “Why do Elephants have big ears? (hint: it goes beyond hearing)”
Categories
Elephant behaviors Questions & Answers (FAQs)

Elephants Can’t Jump: Here are main the reasons why

Elephants can run, but they can't jump

Often in cartoons when we were kids, we saw elephants jumping when they were startled or scared. More than often, it also included mice or spiders scaring them (remember Badou from Babar?). Since it involved a mice, it’s quite hard to say that this happened in their natural habitat, a clue to the myth!

Sorry to break it to you – it’s a myth. Elephants can’t jump. And there really isn’t any difference between adult elephants or baby elephants. Neither can jump.

The reason why elephants can’t jump has a lot to do with their anatomy. For starters, elephants are really, really heavy. African elephants weigh in at around an average of 13,000 pounds (5,800 kilograms). That’s about the same as 10 mid-size cars. But it’s not just their weight that makes jumping difficult – it’s also their legs and their history.

Let us walk you through the key reasons why an elephant can’t jump.

Continue reading “Elephants Can’t Jump: Here are main the reasons why”
Categories
Elephant behaviors Elephants in the wild Questions & Answers (FAQs)

Facts about Baby Elephants: Why are we so fascinated with the calves of this giant?

Baby Elephant trumpeting

It’s a question that has puzzled scientists, zookeepers and animal lovers alike: Why is it that humans are so fascinated by the calves of elephants?

The answer may lie in our own biology. Elephants are mammals like us. And we’re drawn to live things, especially animals with babies. It’s true for other species too; just think about how many people stop their cars on the roads when they see deer fawns cross the street or baby seals playing on a beach.

Baby elephants are playful and cute, and they make a lot of noise. They also tend to stay close to their mothers. One mind-blowing fact about baby elephants is that almost all of them are born at night, most likely because it’s harder for predators to find them.

Continue reading “Facts about Baby Elephants: Why are we so fascinated with the calves of this giant?”
Categories
Elephant behaviors Questions & Answers (FAQs)

Elephant herd and social behavior

Elephant herd in natural park

Both African elephants and their Asian dito, the Asian elephant are extremely bound by history and social norms of belonging to a herd. When a baby is born, it will after a few hours take its first steps in the elephant herd. In the herd, elephants are constantly aware of where each individual is at all times and they know which one has just had a baby and who is sick. The elephant herd can consist of up to 100 individuals with several females and youngs and only one older bull. The elephant herd can split into several smaller herds (or “elephant units”) if the group is too big.

Continue reading “Elephant herd and social behavior”
Categories
Elephant behaviors

Elephants proving they’re smart and we can’t ignore it

Two smart elephants bathing

Elephants really are smarter than we believe. There have been multiple studies done over the years on elephants to measure their IQ and cognitive behaviours, all of which have come to the same conclusion – they’re much smarter than we believe.

The results of the studies show that elephants and thereby also wild elephants are capable of thinking, planning and remembering, all at a level not seen in almost any other species. They also display behaviours that indicate they’re self-aware – something only humans and our closest relatives (chimpanzees, dolphins and others) are known to do. Read on to find out more!

Continue reading “Elephants proving they’re smart and we can’t ignore it”