What do elephants eat at the zoo? What does an elephant eat in the wild? So what do elephants eat at the zoo?

• KEY FACTS
• Name: African elephant (Loxodonta africana)
• Distribution: Africa, southern Sahara Desert
• Number of herds formed by females: 6-8
• Gestation period: 22 months
• Gaining independence: 10-12 years

Lined up, elephants make their way across the savannah in Samburu (Kenya). African elephants live in matriarchal communities headed by an elder - the mother of the clan.

Elephants are the largest land mammals whose social behavior deserves special attention.

Elephants live in matriarchal herds, in which they are very strong family ties. Animals are renowned for their complex behaviors and are even credited with the ability to express human emotions such as joy or sadness.

In mythology and fiction elephants symbolize wisdom and intelligence.

To find out how true this idea is, we suggest considering the structural features of the elephant herd and the behavior of the animals in it. Majority scientific works is devoted to the behavior of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana). We will also focus on it and also mention social behavior Asian (or Indian) elephant (Elephas maximus), which is in many ways similar to the social life of the African species.

One of the features of the social organization of elephants is the dominance of the female in the group. The herd is a group of female elephants led by the oldest and most experienced female elephant - the head of the clan. Members of the herd are usually the female relatives of the main elephant and their children. Usually in such a group there are from 6 to 12 animals, although it happens that the herd consists of 20 individuals.

This friendly elephant family just took a mud bath in Addo National Park in South Africa. The age difference between the children does not exceed four years.

The herd obeys the leadership of the head elephant. She chooses the best pastures and sources of water, and also makes decisions about behavior in a dangerous situation: if she runs away, then the herd follows her, but if the main elephant decides to fight back, all the other animals will join her.

In a herd, female elephants maintain very close relationships. They help each other during childbirth and the whole herd takes care of the babies. If there is a woman in labor in the herd, the eldest elephant takes care of her and acts as a midwife. After birth, the mother and assistant help the baby elephant get to its feet. This is very important because the newborn is defenseless against predators. If a baby elephant who has not learned to walk is in danger, adults will not be able to carry it to safety. During puberty, female elephants show special interest in baby elephants. It is believed that this behavior is part of preparation for their future motherhood.

A nice elephant often continues to lead the herd even after she can no longer have her own offspring. IN wildlife elephants can live up to 70 years. Adults are so large that, perhaps, they have no other enemies besides humans. The lifespan of elephants is limited by the condition of their teeth. When the teeth become unusable, the animal cannot eat and dies from starvation.

After the death of the eldest elephant, she usually becomes the head of the herd. eldest daughter. If there is not enough food or living space for a large herd, it is sometimes divided into two subgroups. Sometimes something like a “clash of personalities” arises between members of the herd, and they can no longer get along with each other. In this case, one of the conflicting females leaves with her offspring and forms a new herd, where she will be the main elephant. Females remain in the herd all their lives, and males leave it at the age of 10-12 years.

In the Maasai Mara, Kenya, a baby African elephant that had previously fed on its mother's milk tries solid food for the first time.

Elephants' childhood lasts a long time: they become adults only at 10-12 years of age.

This happens gradually: young males spend more and more time at the edges of the herd's range until they eventually move away. Males separated from the herd form large groups(3-4 individuals), however, unlike female herds, these communities are short-lived, often disintegrate and change their composition. Groups of male elephants usually travel much longer distances compared to herds of female elephants. This is primarily due to the absence of male cubs in the communities. Adult males live alone and only during the mating season join females for mating. At the end of this season, mature elephants usually return to their original herd.

Mating season

Elephants reach sexual maturity at the age of 15 years. Elephants are in heat for several days, approximately every two months, during which time they respond to the advances of males. In males at the same age, a black secretion begins to secrete from the gland located between the ear and eye. Such discharge appears annually and usually lasts for three months. At this time, males' hormone levels increase and they become more excitable and aggressive. Scientists have not yet reached a consensus on whether a similar phenomenon is observed in the Asian elephant and suggest that this feature is unique to the African species.

The signal for the beginning of the breeding season of elephants is the appearance of a secretion in males. When this happens, the male goes in search of a partner ready to mate. Courtship can last from 2-3 days to several weeks: the elephant follows the female elephant everywhere until she is ready to mate. In a dispute for a female, other elephants usually give way to the male who is ready for mating season.

Mother protects a little African elephant from adversity. If he is in serious danger, he will hide between the elephant's legs.

Newborn baby elephants

Pregnancy in females lasts 22 months. A newborn elephant calf depends on its mother for everything, although it seems very large and well developed. For several months he does not leave the elephant's side, and if he senses danger, he hides under her belly.

A baby elephant feeds on its mother's milk until it reaches two years of age. It happens that such feeding lasts longer, but by the age of 5 it is sure to end. A baby needs to learn a lot from his mother, for example. how to use the trunk to get food, drink and care for yourself. Offspring appear every 4 years, and sometimes less often. During this time, the female helps one elephant calf become independent, and only then can pay attention to another newborn.

The elephant continues to learn a lot from its mother and other adults even after feeding has stopped. Due to the hunting of elephants and poaching of their tusks, baby elephants often find themselves in a difficult situation: if the main elephant and other adult animals die, the babies will never master the necessary skills. In areas where hunting occurs, young orphans often gather in large groups. The presence of such large concentrations of young elephants indicates that these animals are facing serious difficulties in the area.

Young female elephants prefer to stay with their mother longer than male elephant calves. The latter are more active and willing to communicate with other adult elephants, even if they belong to other herds. Perhaps this is why mature female elephants most often remain in their native herd, while males who have reached sexual maturity leave.

Indian elephants, led by trainers, carry logs during a performance in honor of the King of Thailand. Although there are some differences between the African and Asian species (especially in ear size), many of their habits are the same.

It is not surprising that with such a high social organization, elephants are very sociable. They use a whole arsenal of sounds: from a loud roar, which they make with their trunk, to quiet grunting and purring. It is also noteworthy that elephants use unique view communication using the so-called infrasound - low-frequency waves that are not audible to humans. It is known that only whales and elephants have this method of communication.

Messages transmitted by infrasound include warnings of danger and signals indicating readiness for mating. This ability evolved in elephants as a way of maintaining contact with each other on wide open spaces African savannas. Females are ready to mate for a short period, which is why males need to know about it as soon as possible.

Although elephants are nearsighted, they also use visual signals to communicate. The trunk, ears and tail help them in this. For example, an aggressive elephant will usually stick out its ears, making it appear much larger and more threatening than it actually is. Waving its trunk also indicates that the elephant is not in the best mood. Touch is a very important element of communication among elephants. For example, elephants use their trunks to examine each other and even taste food from their friend’s mouth. However, most often this is done by a baby elephant that has stopped receiving milk and is learning to eat solid food from its mother’s mouth.

Emotional animals

Elephants have long been credited with human-like emotions. Indeed, female elephants show exceptional care for other members of the herd. For example, if their brother is sick, injured or cannot walk, the female elephants will try not to leave him a single step and try to help him in every possible way. This may last for several days until the patient either recovers or dies. When the elephant dies, other members of the herd are seen to be worried and worried.

A female African elephant with her three calves at a watering hole in Moremi Game Reserve (Botswana). For these amazing creatures only weapons pose a significant threat.

Many experts consider this behavior to be an expression of grief. Elephants who suffered in captivity were also often observed crying. No tears have been observed in elephants in the wild.

Elephants have also been known to take an interest in the remains of dead relatives—even the desiccated skeletons of long-dead animals. They usually examine the dead body for a long time and carefully with their trunk and sensitive pads of the feet. If one of the members of the herd dies, the elephants begin to walk very slowly and remain silent. Sometimes they cover the body of a deceased fellow with branches and leaves. Animal observations indicate that elephants often return to the place where their relative died. This behavior of animals is interpreted by many as a manifestation of grief. If a baby elephant dies or is stillborn, the mother usually remains near the body for several days, gently stroking the calf, trying to get a response.

During this period, the elephant does not eat anything, her reactions are weak or completely absent.

If members of the herd are encountered who are not temporarily living together, they rejoice and perform actions known as a "welcoming ceremony." At the same time, the elephants spin around in one place, flapping their ears, making loud noises, and also defecate: in this way they give the former members of the herd a familiar odorous family signal. Elephants are also one of those few species of animals that, even as adults, do not deny themselves the pleasure of indulging in games from time to time: they frolic, playfully attacking each other and making loud noises.

• Did you know?
• The head elephant is the largest, oldest and wisest elephant in the herd. Usually her age is over 60 years.
• Elephants are such smart animals that instincts do not play an important role in their development: they master most skills on their own, following the example of their elders. Therefore, the baby elephant teenage years stays with the mother, like a human child. The elephant's brain has a complex structure, weighs 4 times more than a human's and is the largest among all land mammals.
• Elephant ears are excellent at picking up low-frequency vibrations. This animal can hear infrasound within 4 km. And at dusk, when conditions are most favorable, the infrasound emitted by elephants can cover a distance of up to 10 km.

Our correspondent Do you have anything similar to training elephants?
Grishchenko. There is, but it’s not at all like in the circus. Elephant training at the zoo is done to make it safe for people to work with these mighty giants.

By the way, working with a male elephant is different from working with a female elephant. You can establish “full contact” with the “lady”: the caretaker is in the enclosure and controls the elephant using commands, as well as a special piercing instrument called an ankh.

The male poses a great danger due to his unbalanced character, so when working with him we use “protected contact” techniques. We give all commands from outside, through the fence of the enclosure; We try to do veterinary procedures in the same way...

Our elephants know the commands well: “raise the trunk”, “raise the leg”, “come”, “stand”, “back”. All this is pronounced in German; German - international language training elephants... In addition, animals are taught not to resist medical examinations and treatment. They should calmly allow themselves to have their teeth examined, given an injection, have their blood taken for analysis, etc.

The elephants' feet are inspected and cleaned once a week. This is standard procedure in all zoos that have proboscideans. In nature, elephants move a lot, covering long distances; in the zoo they walk much less, so they grow extra skin on their soles and their nails grow. Armed special knife and a large file, the caretaker performs a pedicure.

Our correspondent Do elephants have holidays?
Grishchenko.

Certainly. According to an old, already established tradition, the birthdays of our elephants are celebrated at the Kharkov Zoo. For two days a year, July 19 and November 9, the morning for them begins not as usual, with breakfast and swimming, but... with the presentation of gifts. Zoo workers come to congratulate, bring bananas, cookies, chocolate...

But the real birthday begins at twelve o'clock. Then the townspeople come to congratulate the elephants, and among them is the guest of honor, A. B. Feldman, thanks to whom we got Tendi... The donated fruits, especially bananas, are impossible to count! The “ceremonial part” takes place - and then around the Elephant House they begin funny Games and competitions for children who came to congratulate Tendi and Aung Nein Ley.

Our correspondent And finally - a little about your and my favorites, elephants...
Grishchenko. Once upon a time, proboscis inhabited all the continents of our planet with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. Paleontology knows more than 350 of their extinct species. Mastodons, dinotheriums, mammoths... Unfortunately, only two species have survived to this day: the African elephant and its Asian counterpart, living in India and South-East Asia. There are no more than forty-five thousand elephants on our planet...

Their family life is unique. Females walk in groups, each of which is led by an old, experienced female elephant - the matriarch. Adult males live independently, occasionally visiting a group of females. A female elephant's pregnancy lasts 22 months; Only one baby elephant is always born, weighing up to one hundred kilograms. He becomes an adult by the age of 9-12 years. In general, the average life expectancy of an elephant is 50 years.

The Kharkov Zoo contains asian elephants(Elephas maximus)*. Nowadays these majestic animals are found only in specially protected areas. natural areas scattered like islands in the ocean...

Everything about this animal is amazing. Its height reaches three meters, and its weight is six tons. Only males have tusks in Asian elephants; in females they are small or completely absent. These are not fangs, as is commonly believed, but modified upper incisors. The trunk is amazing, a multifunctional muscular organ that appeared as a result of the fusion and extension of the upper lip and nose. It has 4000 muscles!

At the end of the trunk there is a movable finger-like process that allows the elephant to pick up small objects from the ground. The elephant collects water with its trunk and puts it into its mouth; With it he tears up grass and breaks branches for food. With his powerful teeth, like millstones (of which an elephant has only four!), he grinds any plant foods. These teeth, the size of a city loaf, change six times in an elephant.

Elephants are strict vegetarians. Their diet includes leaves, branches and bark of trees, herbaceous and shrubby plants, as well as fruits.

Observant visitors, coming to our Elephant House, notice how silently these animals walk. “You trample like an elephant” is just a stupid saying! Such a quiet gait in elephants is possible thanks to special structure their legs. Elephants, in the literal sense of the word, walk on tiptoes without standing on their entire foot! Their soles contain a jelly-like substance that serves as a shock absorber...

In a word, there are few creatures in the world as extraordinary, sweet and unique as elephants. Let's take care of them!..

Link on topic: Kharkov Zoo www.zoo.kharkov.ua

THE LARGEST HERBIVORES

1.

The largest land animal in the world: African elephant . The African elephant is the largest land animal. Male African elephants reach 6 to 7.5 meters in length, 3.3 meters in height at the withers and can weigh up to 6 tons.

Female African elephants are much smaller, measuring on average 5.4 to 6.9 in length, 2.7 meters high at the withers, and can weigh up to 3 tons. Adult African elephants generally have no enemies in their natural environment habitat due to its extreme large sizes, but elephant calves (especially newborns) are one of the favorite prey species for bloodthirsty attacks by lions or crocodiles, and are also often attacked by leopards or hyenas.

According to the latest data, in the wild the population size is African elephants ranges from 500 to 600 thousand individuals.

Diet. Everyone knows that currently there are two types of elephants - Indian and African. They are so different from each other that they can be considered representatives of different genera. So the diet of animals directly depends on the region where they live. For example, elephants living in southern India like to chew ficus leaves, while those living in Zimbabwe prefer to consume grasses like cattails and papyrus. What elephants eat also depends on the season: during rains and droughts, the diet will be different.

Food in captivity . What do elephants eat at the zoo? Here they receive huge quantities of greens and hay. The daily diet also includes root vegetables, a few stale rolls, carrots, heads of cabbage, and apples. Elephants' favorite treat is, of course, bananas. Cookies and bread are also popular. And how proboscideans love candy! No less than people. And just like a person, an elephant runs the risk of overeating sweets and becoming fat, which results in health problems.

The animal's behavior becomes unnatural: it walks, staggering, along the fence and just waits for the next visitors to bring the long-awaited delicacy. Elephants living in the wild move a lot. In search of the amount of food that is enough for their well-being, mammals travel considerable distances every day. In a zoo, animals do not have the opportunity to move as actively, and as a result, they develop digestive problems. The elephants are fed five to six times a day, sometimes fruits and vegetables are cut and mixed with hay and scattered around the enclosure. This is done in order to keep the proboscis busy searching for tasty pieces and thus, firstly, reduce the rate of food absorption, and secondly, entertain.

2. Tallest land animal in the world: giraffe.

The giraffe is an African mammal from the order artiodactyl family Giraffidae It is the tallest land animal in the world. His height, on average, is 5-6 meters. Male giraffes have average weight 1600 kilograms, and females can weigh about 830 kilograms. Distinctive characteristic The giraffe has a very long neck that can reach more than 2 meters in length. Actually, the neck accounts for almost half vertical height animal. Long neck is the result of a disproportionate lengthening of the cervical vertebrae, and not an increase in the number of vertebrae, of which the giraffe, like almost all other mammals, has only seven.

Giraffe diet in the wild: It is no coincidence that the height of a giraffe (including its neck and head) is compared to the height of a two-story house. The long neck of the strange beast is the result of evolution. She is the giraffe's first assistant in getting food. The animal easily takes out leaves from the very tall trees: wild apricot, acacia and mimosa.

The giraffe is a herbivore and mainly feeds on tree leaves. He eats quite a lot and can eat up to 30 kilograms of food per day. The main delicacy and favorite food for giraffes are acacia leaves. Although the acacia tree is quite thorny, giraffes easily manage to avoid them with the help of their flexible and long tongue. If it happens that he does swallow a thorn, it will not harm him. Because the giraffe’s skin is needle-proof and its internal organs are also well protected.

Food in captivity: In the zoo, the giraffe menu is more varied than in the wild. Its diet includes leaves, grass (clover), oatmeal, hay, bananas, oranges and carrots. There is also a food in the zoo that giraffes like to eat most of all - bread.

American bison.

The body length of a bison sometimes reaches almost four meters, the height (in the hump area) is about two. The weight of an adult bison is up to five hundred kilograms, and a male individual sometimes reaches up to a ton.

4. Rhinoceros - one of the largest herbivorous mammals on the ground. In size, the animals are second only to elephants, and the main competition in the dispute for second place for rhinoceroses are hippos, which are also very large. Their body length ranges from 2.5 to 4 meters, and they reach a height of up to 1.8 meters. Rhinoceroses weigh quite a lot: 2-4 tons.

Diet of a rhinoceros in the wild: Rhinoceros is a herbivore. His main food is grass. Only Indian and black rhinoceroses eat bushes and branches in addition to grass. These animals eat up to 70 kg of vegetation per day. The rhinoceros's stomach is designed in such a way that it can digest poisonous foods, such as milkweed. Black and Indian rhinoceroses love branches and leaves. White rhinoceroses prefer to graze in open areas from evening until dawn.

Rhino diet in captivity: At the zoo, the rhinoceros is given grass and hay. The rhino's diet includes special feed additives. In addition, hay is prepared from legumes. It is in legume hay that a rhinoceros needs a large amount of proteins. If a black rhinoceros lives in a zoo, then branches and leaves are necessarily added to its diet.

5. Hippopotamus - one of the largest modern land animals. Animals weighing 3 tons are not uncommon, but a number of sources even indicate a weight of 4.5 tons. Regarding record weight, data varies; some sources call 4064 kg, others even indicate a mass of 4500 kg. The height of the hippopotamus at the shoulders is up to 1.65 m. The body length of an adult specimen is not less than 3 m, but reaches 5.4 m. The tail reaches a length of 56 cm. Thus, the hippopotamus competes with the white rhinoceros for second place, after the elephant among terrestrial animals by mass. Sometimes it is even called the second land animal after the elephant.

Food for a hippopotamus in the wild: The basis of the hippopotamus' diet is grass. To eat, the hippopotamus comes out onto land at dusk. He grazes for 5-6 hours every night. The hippopotamus eats relatively little, eating up to 50 kg of grass at a time, which is only 1-1.5% of its weight. They eat so little because their intestines quickly absorb everything useful material. Fruit sausage tree– a favorite treat for hippopotamuses in the wild. Although the hippopotamus spends most of its life in water, it never eats algae or aquatic plants.

Food in captivity: At the zoo, the hippopotamus mainly eats food, the composition of which is selected according to a special recipe. Every day he receives about 200 g of yeast as an additional source of vitamin B. In addition, they are given vegetables, grass and cereals. Nursing females even cook porridge with milk and add sugar to it.

6. African buffalo - This is the largest modern bull. The weight of adult males of large subspecies sometimes reaches 900-1000 kg, and specimens weighing 700 kg are not uncommon. Occasionally old bulls weighing up to 1200 kg are found. The height at the withers in adult males is up to 1.8 m, more often 1.5-1.6 m, with a body length of 3-3.4 m.

Nutrition : The African buffalo, like all representatives of the bull subfamily, is an exclusively herbivorous animal. An adult buffalo consumes food equal to approximately 2% of its body weight per day. Buffalo in general are very picky eaters. He needs a large selection of tall grasses with a high fiber content. In this case, preference is given to several specific types of grasses, which the buffalo eats throughout the year, switching to other food only by force. Shrub vegetation makes up approximately 5% of total number food eaten. Buffaloes also often eat coastal plants. A careful study of feeding buffaloes has shown that the most suitable vegetation for food, along with the proximity of water, are determining factors in the choice of habitat.

7. Shires - the strongest, largest, heaviest horses on the planet. Height at withers: 165-185 cm. Weight: 800-1225 kg.

8. Even though gorilla The closest relative of humans (after chimpanzees), yet the difference between this herbivore and humans is obvious. Males are always the leaders. Their weight varies within 200 kilograms, and, of course, more is found, but rarely. Their strength is equal to that of approximately 10 men. Basically, they lead a peaceful lifestyle, but the male, without hesitation, can attack if he thinks that you pose a danger.

Gorilla food : The basis of nutrition for gorillas is plant foods. The plants used include wild celery, bedstraw, nettle, bamboo shoots, and blue pygeum fruits. Fruits and nuts supplement the main diet, while animal food (mainly insects) makes up a small share of the menu. Gorillas also use various mineral supplements in their diet: they eat, for example, some types of clay, thereby compensating for the lack of salts in their food.

Gorillas hardly have to drink: the juicy greens already contain enough moisture. Ponds and water in general are avoided whenever possible, and rain is not liked.

African elephant

The African elephant belongs to the elephant family, and lives, as the name suggests, in Africa. On the hottest continent of the planet there are two species of these animals. These are savannah and forest elephants. It is the first type that is the largest land mammals on the planet. It is more often called the African elephant rather than the savannah elephant. A powerful animal lives in the savannah. This is an endless steppe, covered tall grass. Its main characteristic is sparsely growing clusters of low-growing trees and shrubs. Savannah is characterized by dry and rainy seasons. In Africa it is distributed south of the Sahara.

Currently, given the fact that the population of Africa is growing at a rapid pace, the habitat of the African elephant has decreased significantly. In many areas of the mainland the animal has disappeared. It is saved from complete destruction in national parks. It is impossible to lead a normal existence outside these territories. The reason for this was the rapid growth of arable land, as well as poaching, which is very difficult to eradicate.

Elephants grow tusks, and this is a very popular product. In the 20th century, in order to obtain it, more than 70 thousand poor animals were destroyed per year. In 1990, an international law was passed banning the trade in ivory. But unofficially, elephants are still shot today. At the end of the first decade of the 21st century, there were about 600 thousand individuals in Africa. The largest number of animals live in the national parks of Kenya, Congo and Tanzania.

Appearance

The African elephant has a massive body, a large head, and a short neck. The soles of the limbs have the ability to expand and contract. When an animal steps on the ground, the soles expand, thereby increasing the area of ​​contact with the soil. Thus, the elephant can move smoothly through sand and marshy areas. In an animal big ears. Their length reaches one and a half meters. The tail length is 1-1.2 meters. The hind limbs have 3 toes or hooves. There are usually 4 of them on the front ones. The hair is sparse, the color is gray, the tusks are curved, the skin is rough and wrinkled.

The African elephant reaches 3.2-4 meters in height. A height of 4 meters is very rare. Usually animals grow up to 3.5 meters. This applies to males. The height of females is 2.2-2.6 meters. Males weigh from 4.7 to 6 tons. Females are respectively 2.2-3.2 tons. Body length ranges from 6 to 7.5 meters. There are elephants 4 meters high and weighing 10 tons. Heaviest weight, which history knows, was 12 tons.

Tusks

Elephant tusks are fangs that have grown to enormous sizes. In Africa, both males and females have them. But the stronger sex has longer and heavier tusks. Their length ranges from 1.5 to 2.4 meters. Weight is 25-45 kg. These powerful bone formations grow throughout their lives. In old males, tusks can reach a weight of 60 kg. The African elephant uses its huge tusks to dig the ground to get to the tasty and juicy roots of low savanna vegetation. He also strips bark from trees with them and protects himself from predatory animals. During mating fights, tusks are also used, but this only applies to males.

In addition to the tusks, the animal’s mouth has 4 molars. Each of them weighs about 5 kg and reaches a length of 30 cm. An elephant’s milk teeth fall out when it reaches the age of 15 years. In their place, the first 2 pairs of molars appear. Gradually they wear out and by the age of 30 they are replaced with new ones. The next tooth replacement occurs at age 45. The animal's molars no longer change. The last 2 pairs are completely worn out by the age of 65-70. After this, the old elephant can no longer chew food and dies from malnutrition.

Trunk

The trunk of the African elephant consists of a nose and upper lip fused together. This is a very flexible and long muscular process. Its length is 1.5-1.8 meters. Weight ranges from 130 to 150 kg. The trunk has very great strength and can lift a load weighing 250-300 kg. A large bucket of water calmly enters it. The trunk ends with two finger-like processes.

Reproduction and lifespan

The time of conception is during the rainy season. Before mating, the male and female move away from the herd. Pregnancy lasts 22 months, that is, almost 2 years. One cub is born weighing from 100 to 120 kg and 1 meter high. The baby is born without tusks. Immediately after birth, the baby elephant gets up and begins to follow its mother everywhere. Milk feeding lasts 1.5 years.

A young elephant becomes independent at the age of 4. Until this age, he is always under the care of his mother and other females. Puberty occurs at 10-12 years. The most productive age for giving birth in females is 25-45 years.

During her life, a female elephant usually gives birth to 8-10 cubs. The life expectancy of the African elephant is 70 years. In captivity, with proper care, the animal can live 80 years.

Behavior and nutrition

These animals live in herds. Such social formations consist of females and cubs and number from 10 to 15 individuals. At the head is a mature female. Over time, she is replaced by the eldest of the daughters. Males, upon reaching the age of 10 years, leave the herd. Young elephants form small groups, while adult males live alone or in pairs. They approach herds with females for a while mating season. They perform their functions and then immediately leave.

Each herd has its own territory. When the number of elephants in this public entity doubles, it is divided into two herds. Sometimes herds unite into one. In this case, fights occur between the female leaders. The winning elephant becomes the head of the new herd.

The African elephant is prone to migration. When moving long distances, small herds unite into one large one. The reason for displacement is most often drought and lack of food. In any team, understanding and friendliness reign between elephants. In case of danger, they rush to each other's rescue. Adult animals treat their cubs very kindly. Only males have conflicts over females and for leadership in the group.

The African elephant feeds on plant foods. An adult animal needs 450 kg of food per day. Therefore, feeding him takes longer time of the day. Elephants sleep standing, gathered in a circle.

Moreover, the heads are turned to the center of the circle. The animal sees poorly and navigates the surrounding world by smell and hearing. Swims well and loves to swim. That is, it is characterized by cleanliness.

forest elephant

The second species lives in Africa. The forest elephant lives in the tropical forests of the Congo River basin. These are the western regions of the African continent. In size it is inferior to its savannah counterpart. Its height is rarely more than 2.5 meters. The ears are more rounded. The tusks are shorter, straighter and point downwards. It also differs in the number of toes or hooves on its feet. There are 5 of them on the forelimbs, and 4 on the hind limbs. The skin is darker, and the hairline is more developed. The elephant feeds on leaves, fruits and tree bark. The population size is low due to merciless extermination. The exact figure is unknown.

Enemies

Considering the size of the animal, it has practically no enemies in the wild. Lions and leopards never attack adult males or females. Only small cubs can recognize the strength of teeth predatory cats if adults gape. The only and most dangerous enemy man has always appeared. Today, the African elephant is protected by law, and its population remains stable.

Elephants are the largest land animals from the class of mammals. They are herbivores that eat only plants and tend to specialize on both grasses and leaves and branches of trees, the proportions of which in the diet depend on the season and habitat.

These animals feed 12–18 hours every day(this is about three quarters of their life!). The large African species can eat up to 300 kilograms of food per day! Because their diet is high in cellulose, only about 44% of the food they consume is digested.

Elephants eat huge amounts of food- the African species consumes up to 300 kg in one day. The Indian species eats less - about 150 kg. The African elephant can weigh around 6 tons and is the largest land animal. This weight requires a lot of vegetation, so these large animals spend most of their time either searching for food or eating it. They feed on a variety of vegetation, which makes it easier for them to find food, and they eat plants of almost any size, from grass to trees.

They also require a lot of fluids. . African elephants can drink up to 190 liters of water in one day, so in the wild they never graze far from water.

Most feeding is performed using a powerful but incredibly flexible trunk. With their trunk they can tear grass out of the ground, tear leaves from trees high in the air, break large branches and delicately bring all this to their mouth.

As expected, eating this large quantity food affects their teeth. Over time, this action wears down tooth enamel. But, unlike most other animals, this is not a problem for them. Throughout their lives, elephants grow new teeth, which replace old, worn ones.

What do elephants eat in captivity?

In captivity, hay is the mainstay of their diet. on a daily basis. In addition they are given:

• cabbage;
• salad;
• sugar cane;
• apples;
• bananas.

A US zoo even recorded a case of an elephant eating spruce branches..

In captivity, these animals eat much less than the amounts mentioned above. For example, according to the National Zoo in Washington DC website, Indian species eats only about 60 kilograms of hay, five kilograms of vegetables and fruits and a few leafy branches.

What do elephants eat in the wild?

Under natural conditions, these giants eat more than 300 various types plants. It could be:

Although these animals are herbivores by nature, and their digestive system not adapted to digest meat, however, there was a case where an Indian elephant ate a man as an act of revenge after her baby elephant was killed. The elephant was shot and a piece of human flesh was found in her mouth.

These animals are also very fond of eating human crops, making night raids on the fields of peasants and farmers. African elephants attack corn fields in East Africa. The Asian species prefers millet fields.

The Indian elephant loves sugarcane and other crops so much that it has become an agricultural pest. attacking and destroying gardens and rice fields. As humans continue to reclaim more and more of the land that was once home to these animals, conflicts between farmers and elephants are bound to increase.

Many types of experimental control agents are currently being developed to protect crops. One effective method, which is called “Elephants and Bees,” involves the construction of a fence of beehives, since these giants are very afraid of bees!

What do African elephants eat?

Currently, all African elephants are classified as one species, although it is believed that they are divided into savannah and forest species.

Research has shown that savannah elephants prefer to eat grass early in the rainy season (around October to March) and then rely more on woody plants (April to September).

Forest elephants occupy a relatively small range in the Congo rainforest in Africa, however, their diet still varies depending on which part Central Africa they live. In the Cameroonian reserve, for the most part, these animals They ate grass, but since they live in forests, fruit is an important part of their diet.

What do Asian elephants eat?

The Asian elephant (Elephans maximus) is an endangered species. Only about 40,000–50,000 individuals remain in the wild. While widespread in southern Asia, they now exist in only five countries in South Asia:

• India.
• Sri Lanka.
• In Bhutan.
• In Bangladesh.
• In Nepal.

And in eight countries in Southeast Asia:

Like African species, Asian elephants are herbivores that eat only plants. Since the habitats vary greatly, Asian species eat the most different plants. For example, in South India, one study found that native species eat more than 112 different plant species, but most of their diet consisted of 25 types of legumes, palms, sedges and grasses. Animals living in the tropical forests of Thailand tend to eat more fruit and they play important role in seed dispersal.

The meat of these animals was probably a source of food for people throughout their coexistence. By the beginning of the Middle Paleolithic, about 120,000 BC. BC, African societies were hunter-gatherers who knew how to use elephant herds for meat.

Today, all species of these giants are hunted specifically for their meat. This occurs in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic Congo. Wildlife experts have expressed concern that the animals could be threatened by demand for their meat.

The study showed that in four Central African countries the demand for meat is higher than the supply. In cities, elephant meat is considered prestigious and this serves as an incentive for poachers to hunt these animals.

Elephants- these are the most large mammals on land, they live in Asia and Africa. Elephants were listed in the Red Book as they were endangered due to hunting for ivory. African elephants are larger than Asian elephants, they have huge tusks weighing about 100 kg, and special reserves have been created for them in Africa, where they can live peacefully.

What do elephants eat

Elephants eat mostly plant foods such as: grass, leaves and branches of trees, fruits, bark, various shrubs, as well as marsh vegetation. Captive elephants eat hay, grain, vegetables, bread and love various sweets (candies). Basically, their diet is dictated by the habitat where they live, and also depends on the rainy season or drought.

In a day, an adult elephant eats up to 300 kg of grass and leaves, which is approximately 5% of their weight, and absorbs up to 200 liters of water, and even more in very hot weather. Forest elephants get water from the juicy fruits they eat, so they go to water only in the dry season. Elephants feed up to sixteen hours a day.

When does it start wet season, elephants eat mainly grasses like papyrus and cattail. Aging elephants prefer swamp vegetation, which is softer but less nutritious. During drought, elephants begin to dig holes in dry river beds to collect water from the aquifers of the earth. In addition to elephants, these small bodies of water are also used by buffalos and rhinoceroses.

In search of water and food, elephants can travel considerable distances, up to 500 kilometers, covering about 12 kilometers per day, leaving well-trodden paths behind them. Seasonal migrations of elephants across the savannas occur annually. Currently, elephant migration is limited due to increased human activity. Now you know what elephants eat.

Secrets of the life of elephants

On our website you can find out what they eat.

They say that the lion is the king of beasts. However, this statement can be argued. Elephants are the largest living mammals and have every right to claim this title. Their natural habitat is rainforests and savannas of Southeast Asia and Africa. However, elephants are often kept in captivity. Of course, elephants are rarely seen in private zoos. It is difficult to imagine how much it costs to keep elephants in captivity and how much money will need to be spent on feeding them. Have you ever wondered what elephants eat? Let's try to figure it out.

There are two main types of elephants: African and Indian. Some scientists also propose to classify East African elephants as a separate group, but this question remains open.

Food in wildlife

The basis of the elephants' diet is vegetation. They use their trunks to pluck leaves from trees and their tusks to clear leaves from branches. African elephants consume up to 450 kg of food per day, about 250 kg of vegetation, the rest - liquids. Indian elephants consume half as much food. Of the total amount of food consumed, elephants digest only about 40%. This is due to weak digestion.

Indian elephants feed mainly on leaves. In addition, Indian elephants eat grass, young shoots, tree bark and roots, fruits, nuts and seeds. Tree bark serves as a source of calcium for elephants and helps with digestion. Also an integral part of the diet of Indian elephants is hay, flowers, bamboo and acacia leaves. The love of Indian elephants for sugar cane has more than once led to conflict between elephants and farmers.

On African continent There are not many trees, so the main diet of African elephants is grass. During dry seasons, elephants have to make do with bushes and tree bark, and also look for root crops from underground. To make up for the lack of some minerals and salt in the body, elephants sometimes eat soil. They dig into the ground with their tusks and then eat a small amount of soil by putting it into their mouth with their trunk. It is known that elephants living on the Ugandan border dug deep caves in the volcanic rocks of the mountains in search of salt and minerals.

Food in captivity

Some elephants are shown for the amusement of the public in zoos and circuses. The diet of elephants in captivity should not differ significantly from the diet that elephants are accustomed to in their natural habitat. However, in practice it turns out differently. In zoos, elephants are typically fed greens in the summer and hay in the winter. Elephants' diet can be varied with various root vegetables, cabbage, apples and bananas. By the way, fruits are a real delicacy for elephants, just like sweets for children. By the way, elephants also eat candies and other sweets, but they should not be allowed to overindulge in sweets - it is harmful to their health. In winter, elephants' diet includes large quantity breads and grains, and also add various vitamins and minerals.

One is in Asia (so-called), the others are representatives of the African group. The difference between them will be noticed only by a specialist or someone who has carefully studied the characteristics and differences of these animals. For the majority of people, both Indian elephants and Indian elephants look alike.

Despite their different homelands, both species of elephants have similar preferences. The main hobby of these huge animals gray are water procedures. All giants, young and old, love to spend time in water and water themselves with their trunks. In some tourist areas there is even a special water activity - “swimming with elephants”.

Another passion of elephants is food. The animal eats almost constantly: it can take more than 16 hours a day to eat. During this time, depending on the age of the individual, from 50 to 150 kilograms of food of plant origin are eaten: hay, grass, leaves of trees and shrubs, etc.

Elephants kept in captivity are very fond of all kinds of sweets. Favorites are candy, cookies and honey. However, such a “diet” can have a bad effect on health, so the giants are given sweet fruits as treats.

Research also shows that elephants are very fond of their homeland and companionship. There are frequent cases when individuals taken from their native places went crazy, quickly grew old and died. People working with such elephants noted that the animals often cried and were in an unfavorable mood.

Elephants love to learn new things. They are very sociable, amenable to training and amaze with their skills. Seemingly very clumsy in appearance, the elephant shows real miracles. For example, it easily balances on one paw, catches a small coin with its trunk and even draws pictures.

Adult males also like to masturbate. Whether they get pleasure from this has not yet been established by scientists. However, with the help of their trunk, elephants often carry out unambiguous manipulations with their reproductive organ.

IN ordinary life, a trained elephant will not allow itself to throw off a person. If one of the riders begins to slip and fall, the caring “transport” will catch him with its trunk and lift him back up.

What elephants can't stand

The largest animal turns out to be very easy to scare. Elephants cannot stand the squeal of pigs. Hearing him, the animals literally lose their minds. They turn sharply, throw off their riders and rush away.

Elephants do not like those who harm them or their young. Possessing an excellent memory, the animal will never forget its enemy. If life brings them together again, the elephant will definitely take revenge. But the largest inhabitant of the planet will never give offense to those who treated him well.

Elephants do not like small rodents. The latter tend to settle under huge animals and gradually gnaw away the skin that is sensitive in these places. It is very difficult for an elephant to get rid of an insolent resident on his own. More often than not, a person comes to the rescue.