The Indian elephant is the largest animal tamed by man. In the countries of South and Southeast Asia, elephants are revered for their strength and intelligence. In the Hindu pantheon, the elephant-headed god Ganesha is the personification of wisdom. It brings good luck and prosperity to the house.
Relationship with a person
The history of interaction between humans and the Asian elephant goes back centuries. Unlike the indomitable African brothers, the Asian giant found a common language with people 5500 years ago. Animals are easily tamed, quickly adapt to new conditions of existence. In ancient India, they were a powerful combat-ready force that was used during battles.
In peacetime, people used the power of huge mammals to carry out hard work. Animals are involved in logging. They are carry cut trees, stack boards, load barges. The carrying capacity of 1 animal is 350 kg. With the introduction of mechanization, the number of working elephants in the Asian region is gradually decreasing. However, in the rugged, swampy areas of India, elephants still play an important role in economic work.
In Thailand and India, elephants are trained to ride. In the old days, the rulers of India, the Rajas, rode on riding elephants. Now a ride on the back of a giant animal has become a popular attraction for tourists. Passengers going up the ladder on the back of a huge animal and are placed in a special box called gaudha. It accommodates up to 4 people. Operates an unusual vehicle - a driver (mahout). With the help of a bamboo stick, he gives commands and directs the movement.
Riding elephants in India participate in religious ceremonies. During the solemn procession, figures of deities and sacred relics are carried through the streets on their backs.
Elephants - albinos with a rare light skin color are considered sacred animals. In Thailand, white elephants are traditionally the property of the monarch, and the state is colorfully called the “Land of the White Elephant”.
Smart animals have learned to demonstrate their talents in different ways. Asian elephants perform numbers in circus arenas, play football, draw pictures.
However, people are not always sympathetic to giant animals. Wild elephants often trample down crops and destroy plantations of sugar cane, rice, and bananas. Therefore, the villagers are fighting them. The reduction of the population is also affected by the shooting of animals to obtain their tusks.
The total number of Asian elephants is estimated at about 50 thousand individuals. In the mid-80s, the animal was taken under protection and included in the International Red Book. Despite the measures taken and the organization of reserves, the number of elephants in the wild is steadily declining by 2-3% per year.
Geography and population
Wild elephants live in the subtropical and tropical zones of the Asian subcontinent. They can be found in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Indonesia. The main habitat is dense forests. In the foothills of the Himalayas Indian elephants in the summer rise to a height of more than 3 thousand meters above sea level and reach the snow line. Mammal giants have also adapted to life in wetlands and feel good on the banks of water bodies.
Asian elephants are usually divided into subspecies:
- Indian;
- Ceylonese;
- Malay;
- Sumatran.
The rarest species live on the Sunda Islands. The number of the Malayan elephant is less than 500 individuals, and the Sumatran elephant is even smaller. Ceylon variety from Sri Lanka has approximately 2.5 thousand copies. Most elephants in India - over 3-5 thousand animals. The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is especially famous for its abundance of giants, where, according to estimates, 400 Indian elephants live.
Appearance
Elephas maximus or Asian elephant belongs to the proboscis family of animals. Its closest relative lives in Africa. The Asian species differs from its counterpart in smaller sizes:
- height- 2.5–3.5 m;
- length torso - 5.4 - 6.4 m (tail 1.2 -1.5 m);
- weight- 2,700 kg (female) and 5,400 (male).
The body is massive, voluminous. The skin is wrinkled, dense (thickness 2.5 cm). The most tender areas are inside the auricle and around the mouth. Dark skin color predominates - from brown to gray. Albinos with yellow eyes and fair skin are rare. Rigid sparse hair grows on the body.
Legs are short. The foot ends with hooves: there are 5 on the front legs, 4 on the hind legs.
The head is large with a flattened skull in the frontal part. The ears are relatively small, in the form of an elongated quad. A characteristic feature of all proboscis is the fusion of the nose with the upper lip. The trunk performs the functions of the organ of respiration, smell and touch. With its help, the animal obtains food, drinks water, bathes. The trunk ends with one finger-like process.
The tusks are smaller than those of the African species. Their length is a maximum of 1.5 m, and their weight is up to 25 kg. Unlike elephants living on the Black Continent, only male Asian elephants have tusks. Among the Ceylon variety, the so-called "makhna" - males without tusks - are often found.
Animals have 4 molars, which appear at the age of 15–16 instead of milk teeth. Every 12 years, teeth fall out and new ones grow in. Renewal occurs four times throughout life. After loss of last teeth, the animal cannot fully eat and dies of hunger. The average life expectancy of Indian elephants is 60–65 years. Cases of longevity of individual individuals up to 80 years have been recorded.
Features of biology and behavior
Each group of elephants has its own territory in which they live. Animals tread paths along the routes of their constant movement. Elephanta feel dangerous places and try not to approach them. Indian elephants walk almost silently. They have a special springy mass on the soles of their feet. Thanks to her, the foot area increases and the step becomes quiet.
Indian elephants love water. They enjoy swimming and know how to swim. Often arrange a shower with the help of a trunk. At one time, the trunk holds up to 10 liters of water. In a hot climate, water is necessary for animals to maintain the normal functioning of the body. An Indian elephant absorbs 180 liters of fluid per day. However, if necessary, it can go without drinking for several days.
- Asian elephants eat grass and leaves. The daily feed intake is 100–150 kg. The lack of minerals is replenished by eating the soil.
- elephants communicate with each other using low-frequency sounds that are not perceived by human hearing. Signals are given at a distance of up to 19 km.
- Elephants have developed tear glands, so animals can cry. Weeping elephants can be observed in zoos.
- In wild nature Asian elephants have no enemies. For singles, an attack by large predatory cats (panthers, leopards, Bengal tigers) can be dangerous.
An amazing feature of the behavior of elephants is their attitude towards dead relatives. They are the only mammals other than humans that practice burying. If the skeleton of a deceased brother is found, the elephants carefully separate its bones and bury them in the soil.
social structure
In the wild, Indian elephants live in groups of 10–20 individuals. As a rule, this is one big family. Adult females predominate in its composition (50%). Adult males make up a third of the group. Young animals account for about 20%. Within the herd, there is a strict hierarchical structure based on the principles of matriarchy. An elderly experienced female manages all the livestock.
During danger or during childbirth, the group becomes in a ring. The smallest and weakest are placed in the center. Not a single predator can break through such protection. Relatives protect a young mother with a cub until he gets on his feet. In the elephant herd there is mutual assistance and mutual assistance. Baby elephants can get food from any lactating female. If a baby's mother dies, then another elephant takes him to be raised.
Males spend most of their time alone. They unite with females only at the onset of the mating season. Occasionally, several adult animals may form a temporary group.
reproduction
Sexual maturity in Indian elephants occurs at 12–16 years of age. During the mating season, males dramatically increase the level of testosterone in the blood. The state of sexual arousal is called "mast" or "must." Animals spend time actively searching for females ready to mate. In an excited state, Asian elephants behave extremely aggressively, fighting for the right to possess a female. The mating season is 60 days. The interval between pregnancies in females is from 4 to 5 years.
The Indian elephant bears offspring for a long period of 18 to 22 months. Mostly one cub is born. The appearance of two babies at the same time is a rarity. A newborn weighs 100 kg and reaches 1 m in height.
The new member of the herd is greeted by the rest of the group. They take turns approaching the baby and touching it with their trunk. The baby elephant gets on its feet 4 hours after birth, at this time the baby is most vulnerable and can become easy prey for predators. Therefore, all members of the group try to protect him. For two years, the cub feeds on mother's milk, and then switches to plant foods.
Upon reaching the age of 7–8 years, male individuals leave the parent herd and begin to live independently. A 20-year-old Indian elephant is considered a fully grown adult.
The Indian elephant, also called the Asian elephant, is one of the endangered species of elephants that are listed in the Red Book. This is one of the largest animals on our planet, which is somewhat similar to the ancient mammoth. The ears have a characteristic pointed shape and are extended downwards.
The length of the tusks of male Indian elephants reaches 1.5 meters, which is why they are often the subject of poaching. There are elephants that do not have tusks. They live mainly in eastern India.
In addition to India, this type of elephant lives in Nepal, Burma, Thailand and the island of Sumatra. Due to the expansion of agricultural land in these countries, elephants have no place to live, as a result of which their numbers have declined sharply in recent years.
The habitat of the Indian elephant is a light forest with shrubby undergrowth. Closer to summer, they like to climb mountains, and almost never go out into the savannahs, since these territories have been turned into lands where they constantly grow something.
Hierarchy of Indian Elephant Relationships
Usually Indian elephants live and keep in groups of 15-20 individuals, obeying the old female - it is she who is the head of the herd. The herd consists of subgroups of related females with cubs. As they increase, such subgroups can separate and form their own herd.
Male Indian elephants at the age of 7-8 years are separated from the herd and form their own groups for a short time. Having reached adulthood, males often stay alone. During the mating season, Indian elephant males are dangerous and aggressive and can even attack a person.
The social bonds of elephants are very strong. If there is a wounded person in the herd, others help him to get up, supporting him from both sides.
The habitats of Indian elephants have a complex and unique structure. They consist of sections connected by paths, as well as areas where elephants never enter. Elephants go to dangerous areas only at nightfall.
How long does an Indian elephant live?
The life span of an Indian elephant is 60-70 years. Sexual maturity occurs at 8-12 years of age. The female carries the cub for 22 months, and becomes pregnant every 4-5 years. After giving birth, members of the herd approach the cub, greeting him with a touch of the trunk.
The mother helps him find the nipples. The cub immediately after birth is firmly on its feet and is able to move independently. By the age of 2-3 years, he begins to eat plant foods.
Indian elephant hunting
Elephants spend most of their time looking for food. They eat a lot of plant species, but almost 85% is their favorite food. During the day, the Indian elephant eats 100-150 kg per day, and in the wet season up to 280 kg, preferring grass in the wet season, and the woody mass of shrubs and trees in the dry season.
Elephants drink 180 liters of water per day. They also eat the soil, thereby replenishing their reserves of minerals and iron. In search of water, they can dig up dried up stream beds, which, after the departure of elephants, other animals use for watering. If there is enough moisture in the food, elephants can go without water for several days.
Why is the Indian elephant so revered in India?
In India, the elephant is considered a sacred animal, personifying wisdom, prudence and strength. After all, only this elephant wisely approaches the issue of survival - taking care of injured elephants and young animals. That is why the elephant is the symbol of India.
Elephants participate in wedding ceremonies and other celebrations. 
Watch the video about the Indian elephant:
yet:
Read more about elephants Elephant hunting: history and reality, Sumatran elephants, Indian elephant - an indispensable assistant to man.
The Indian elephant is a mammal from the proboscis order. The last living Asian elephant, the rest are fossil species. Science considers it the second largest among currently existing animals.
Description
The growth of the Indian elephant reaches 2.7 meters, the female animal is slightly lower - up to 2.2 meters. Body length varies from 5.5 to 6.4 meters, males differ in the largest sizes. Huge size is a distinctive feature that an animal possesses.
How much an elephant weighs is of interest to inquisitive people. The average weight of an elephant is 2,700 kg, which is still one and a half times less than the mass of a relative from Africa.
general characteristics
The elephant belongs to the proboscis order, is one of the three modern representatives of the elephant family. Some differences allow us to distinguish four subspecies of the Asian elephant, which were named according to the place of distribution:
- the elephant differs the most large tusks;
- Sri Lankan elephant, it has no tusks, the head in proportion to the body seems too large;
- the Sumatran elephant, which received the nickname "pocket elephant" due to its small size;
- Bornean elephant with especially large ears and a long tail.
Habitat. area
The main feature that distinguishes the Indian elephant from the African one is the geographical division, which is reflected in the names of the species. At that time, subspecies of the Asian elephant are also named after their range. The Asian elephant is common in India, China, Cambodia and Thailand, Sri Lankan - in Sri Lanka, Sumatran - in Sumatra, Bornean - in the northeastern part of the island of Borneo.
Appearance
If you look at both species, you can clearly understand which elephants are more Indian or African. The Indian giant has a more massive physique, legs are thick and short.
The elephant has a wide forehead, depressed in the middle. Indian ones also have tusks, but in the Asian species they are 2-3 times smaller, and in some subspecies they may be completely absent. The trunk contains inside a complex system of muscles and tendons.
Habitat
The powerful body makes the elephant adapted to life in rather difficult conditions; it is often found in dense and impenetrable forests. An elephant can do without water and food for some time, but prefers to avoid desert areas.
Lifestyle
The elephant tolerates the cold better, while in hot weather it is forced to hide in the shade. This is due to the absence of sweat glands in the skin, which could help cool the body.
This animal equally loves to bathe in water and mud, this saves the skin from insect bites, sunburn and drying out. A bulky physique does not hinder high mobility.
Elephants can reach speeds of up to 48 km/h in times of danger. Weak eyesight is more than compensated by the excellent development of hearing, animals can communicate at a distance of several kilometers by infrasound. The lifestyle is predominantly nocturnal, rest requires 4 hours of sleep per day, most often elephants sleep during the day.
Nutrition
Indian and African elephants have a similar diet, they prefer to eat grass, fruits, leaves and tree roots, sometimes they eat bark. The love of plant food often causes elephants to ruin agricultural crops.
reproduction
The ability of elephants to breed does not depend on the season, only the strongest males who managed to win the mating match are allowed to mate. Every year, males fall into a state of must, which is characterized by aggressive behavior and excessive sex drive. Elephant gestation is unusually long, ranging from 18 to 22 months.
Enemies
What a powerful body the elephant has! This state of affairs leads to the absence of natural enemies, only a person is able to harm elephants. Tigers and lions have the opportunity to attack elephants.
Lifespan
Under natural conditions, elephants live up to 70 years; when kept by a person, the life span sometimes increases to 80 years or more. The most common cause of death is tooth wear, animals lose their ability to eat and starve to death.
Red Book
Indian and African elephant - without taking the necessary measures, animals can disappear and the face of the Earth. They are endangered species and are protected by relevant laws.
The elephant is an interesting animal that has left a significant mark on the culture, many of which have gone down in history. A lot of interesting facts are connected with Asian elephants:
- they have a flexible mind, many "words" are used to communicate with each other;
- significance for man has led to the fact that even in religion the Indian elephant god Ganesha was imprinted, created in his likeness;
- a herd of elephants has a complex social structure.
Asian elephant, or Indian elephant(lat. Elephas maximus) - a mammal of the proboscis order, the only modern species of the genus Asiatic elephants ( Elephas) and one of the three modern species of the elephant family.
The Asian elephant is the second largest land animal after the bush elephant.
Appearance
Indian elephants are inferior in size to African savannah elephants, but their size is also impressive - old individuals (males) reach a mass of 5.4 tons with an increase of 2.5-3.5 meters. Females are smaller than males, weighing an average of 2.7 tons. The smallest is a subspecies from Kalimantan (weight about 2 tons). For comparison, the bush elephant weighs from 4 to 7 tons. The body length of the Indian elephant is 5.5-6.4 m, the tail is 1.2-1.5 m. The Indian elephant is more massive than the African one. The legs are thick and comparatively short; the structure of the soles of the feet resembles that of an African elephant - there is a special springy mass under the skin. Hooves on the front legs 5, on the hind legs 4. The body is covered with thick wrinkled skin; skin color - from dark gray to brown. The thickness of the skin of the Indian elephant reaches 2.5 cm, but is very thin on the inside of the ears, around the mouth and anus. The skin is dry, has no sweat glands, so taking care of it is an important part of an elephant's life. By taking mud baths, elephants protect themselves from insect bites, sunburn, and fluid loss. Dust baths, bathing and scratching on trees also play a role in skin hygiene. Often, depigmented pinkish areas are noticeable on the body of the Indian elephant, which give them a mottled appearance. Newborn baby elephants are covered with brownish hair, which is wiped and thins with age, but even adult Indian elephants are more covered with coarse wool than African ones.
Just as humans are right-handed and left-handed, different elephants are more likely to use a right or left tusk. This is determined by the degree of wear of the tusk and its more rounded tip.
In addition to the tusks, the elephant has 4 molars, which are replaced several times during life as they wear out. When changing, new teeth do not grow under the old ones, but further on the jaw, gradually pushing the worn teeth forward. The Indian elephant has molars 6 times during its life; the latter erupt by about 40 years. When the last teeth are worn down, the elephant loses the ability to eat normally and dies of starvation. As a rule, this happens by the age of 70. Template:Biophoto The elephant's trunk is a long process formed by the nose and upper lip fused together. A complex system of muscles and tendons gives it great flexibility and mobility, allowing the elephant to manipulate even small objects, and its volume allows it to collect up to 6 liters of water. The septum (septum), which separates the nasal cavity, also consists of numerous muscles. An elephant's trunk is devoid of bones and cartilage; the only cartilage is at its end, separating the nostrils. Unlike the trunks of African elephants, the Asian elephant's trunk ends in a single dorsal finger-like process.
The differences between the Indian elephant and the African are a lighter color, medium-sized tusks that are available only in males, small ears, a convex humpbacked back without a “saddle”, two bulges on the forehead and a single finger-like process at the end of the trunk. Differences in the internal structure also include 19 pairs of ribs instead of 21, as in the African elephant, and structural features of the molars - the transverse dentin plates in each tooth of the Indian elephant are from 6 to 27, which is more than that of the African elephant. There are 33 tail vertebrae instead of 26. The heart often has a double apex. Females can be distinguished from males by two mammary glandslocated on the chest. The brain of an elephant is the largest among terrestrial animals and reaches a mass of 5 kg.
Distribution and subspecies
Template:Biophoto In ancient times, Asian elephants were found in Southeast Asia from the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia (45 ° E) to the Malay Peninsula, in the north reaching the foothills of the Himalayas and the Yangtze River in China (30 ° N) They were also found on the islands of Sri Lanka, Sumatra and possibly Java. In the XVI-XIX centuries, the Indian elephant was still common in most of the Indian subcontinent, in Sri Lanka and in the eastern parts of its former range.
Currently, the range of Indian elephants is highly fragmented; in the wild they are found in the countries of the Indo-Malay biogeographic region: South and Northeast India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Southwest China, Malaysia (mainland and on the island of Borneo), Indonesia (Borneo, Sumatra) and in Brunei.
Subspecies
Four modern subspecies of the Asian elephant are known:
Template: Biophoto Population from Vietnam and Laos, presumably the fifth subspecies. A few (less than 100 individuals) "giant" elephants living in the forests of Northern Nepal, presumably a separate subspecies Elephas maximus, since they are 30 cm taller than the usual Asian elephant. The Chinese population is sometimes distinguished into a separate subspecies E.m. rubridens; died out around the 14th century BC. e. Syrian subspecies ( E.m. asurus), the largest of the Asian elephants, became extinct around 100 BC. e.
Lifestyle
The Asian elephant is mainly a forest dweller. It prefers light tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests with a dense undergrowth of shrubs and especially bamboo. Previously, in the cool season, elephants went out into the steppes, but now it has become possible only in reserves, since outside of them the steppe has almost everywhere been turned into agricultural land. In summer, along the wooded slopes, elephants rise quite high into the mountains, meeting in the Himalayas at the border of eternal snows, at an altitude of up to 3600 m. Elephants move quite easily through swampy areas and climb mountains.
A complete list of ecological regions where the wild Indian elephant () is found can be viewed.
Hybrids of Asian and African elephants
Bush elephants and Asian elephants belong to different genera, Loxodonta And Elephas, have non-overlapping ranges and naturally do not interbreed in nature. However, in 1978, the English zoo Chester Zoo accidentally managed to get a cross between these two species. The baby elephant, born prematurely, lived only 10 days, dying from an intestinal infection. This is the only recorded case of the appearance of such a hybrid.
Lifespan
In nature, Indian elephants live up to 60-70 years, in captivity - up to 80 years. Adult elephants have no natural enemies (other than humans); tigers and Indian lions can attack elephants.
Population size and status
Template:Biophoto Template:Biophoto Throughout history, people have hunted elephants, first for their meat, later for their tusks. With the advent of Europeans, the extermination of wild Indian elephants for the sake of ivory, the protection of crops and anthropogenic changes in habitat conditions have sharply reduced their numbers and reduced their range. The area has turned into a number of isolated areas confined to deaf or protected places. The range and number of wild elephants began to decline especially sharply in the last decades of the 20th century due to the expansion of agricultural land and plantations of eucalyptus, which are used as the main raw material for the paper and pulp industry in the countries of Southeast Asia. In addition, elephants began to be destroyed as pests of agriculture, despite existing conservation laws. Asian female elephants were almost unaffected by ivory hunting (due to the lack of tusks), so that poaching did not lead to such a drastic decline in elephant numbers as in Africa. However, the reduction in the number of males, in general, led to a strong skew in the proportion of sexes, which had serious demographic and genetic consequences.
The total population of all subspecies of the wild Asian elephant is estimated at:
Template:Biophoto The first law on the protection of elephants (Elephants "Preservation Act) was adopted in 1879 in India. According to it, a wild elephant could be killed by a person only in self-defense or to prevent harm. Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been included in the International Red book as a species close to extinction ( endangered) . It is also listed in CITES Appendix I. Currently, The Wildlife Trust of India, together with the World Land Trust, are implementing projects to create original “corridors” along the traditional migration routes of wild elephants that will connect isolated parts of their range in the Indo-Burma region.
In general, the reasons for the decline in the number of Asian elephants are reduced to persecution due to damage to crops, hunting (mainly for ivory and meat) and environmental degradation due to increasing anthropogenic pressure on natural landscapes (including due to deforestation). Many elephants die in traffic accidents when they collide with vehicles. According to some estimates, the population of the wild Asian elephant is declining by 2-5% annually.
Elephants, like any large animal, are potentially deadly to humans. Wandering lone elephants and females with cubs are especially aggressive.
Significance for a person
Template:Biophoto Template:Biophoto An Asian elephant in captivity is quickly tamed, amazingly easy to train, and can subsequently perform complex work. For centuries, elephants in Southeast Asia have been used as riding, draft and pack animals, most often in logging, where elephants acted as "living cranes", carrying and loading sawn tree trunks: an adult elephant can lift up to 300 kilograms. However, at present, technological progress and rapid deforestation have made the traditional "profession" of the Asian elephant almost unnecessary. They continue to be used as mounts, especially in vehicular impassable areas.
Although Asian elephants breed well in captivity, the work has mainly used wild elephants that have been captured and tamed. Young growth could be used on the farm only from the age of 7, and for the most difficult work - only from 12 years old. Wild animals over 30 years old were practically not amenable to training, so they were released during roundups.
Tamed elephants have long been used as a fighting force. Elephants also played an important role in the culture of the Indian subcontinent. In the main religions of India, Hinduism and Buddhism, these animals (especially white ones) occupy one of the important places and traditionally participate in religious ceremonies. The most famous processions are in Kerala, where temple elephants in rich decoration carry statues of the gods. Hindus greatly revere the god Ganesha, depicted as a man with the head of an Indian elephant. In general, having long been surrounded by reverence, Asian elephants were not destroyed as barbarously as African ones.
The elephant - a symbol of a positive character - is used in Asia as a royal supreme animal and is highly valued for intelligence and cunning. The white elephant, which heralded the birth of Buddha, has become a symbol of the liberator of people from the shackles of earthly existence. In Hinduism, Ganesha, the god of literature and wisdom, has an elephant head. In ancient China, the elephant was also a symbol of strength and intelligence. And in the Western ancient world, an exotic animal was considered as an attribute of the god Mercury - the embodiment of hereditary wisdom and non-aggressive power.
Thanks to longevity, the elephant symbolizes the overcoming of death. In medieval books, the chastity of elephants is extolled. They are often found on images of paradise and on coats of arms (after the Crusades). In 1464, the Order of the Elephants was formed in Denmark. The white elephant was the symbol of the Kingdom of Siam (now Thailand). In China, they believe that riding an elephant in a dream means happiness.
Indian elephants in culture and art
Indian elephants in literature
Indian elephants appear in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, in his stories The Dance of the Elephants and The Rebel Elephant, in Alexander Belyaev's Hoyti-toichi, and in Vladimir Semyonovich Vysotsky's Song of the White Elephant. Template: Biophoto
famous elephants
Template: Biophoto
Abul Abbas
Hanno
Template:Biophoto Hanno the elephant belonged to Pope Leo X . This white Asian elephant was presented to the pope by the Portuguese king Manuel I. Hanno was brought to Italy by ship from Lisbon in 1514. By that time the elephant was about four years old. At first, the elephant was kept in a belvedere, and then a special elephant house was built for him next to the Cathedral of St. Peter.
Hanno became a favorite of the papal court. Often he took part in solemn processions. However, the elephant did not live long - he died on June 8, 1516.
The memorial frescoes with the elephant were painted by Raphael Santi (the frescoes have not been preserved), and Pope Leo X himself wrote the text of the epitaph on the elephant.
Suleiman
Template:Biophoto Template:Biophoto The Asian elephant Suleiman was presented by the Portuguese King Joao III to Prince Maximilian (who later became Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire).
However, Suleiman's life in Austria did not last long - he died after only 18 months, in December 1553.
After death, the elephant was made into a stuffed animal. It was destroyed in 1945 during a bombing along with other exhibits of the Bavarian National Museum in Munich, where the effigy had been kept since 1928.
Hansken
Hansken is an Asian elephant from Ceylon. It was brought to Europe by the Dutch in 1637.
Template: Biophoto Due to poor care (because then the Europeans had no idea what kind of care an elephant needs), Hansken did not live long. She died on November 9, 1655 while on tour in Italy.
Lin Wang
Batyr
Museum
The Oregon Zoo (located in Portland) has a one-of-a-kind museum of elephants (both Indian and African)
Indian or Asian elephant (lat. Elephas maximus) takes an honorable second place among the largest land animals. The growth of this giant is 2.5-3.5 m with a body weight of 2.7 tons (females) to 5.4 tons (males). The length of an adult elephant reaches 5.4-6.4 m, and the tail - 120-150 cm.
The physique of the Indian elephant is more massive than that of its African counterpart. It has relatively short and thick legs. There are five hooves on the front limbs, and four on the hind limbs. The powerful body is reliably protected by strong wrinkled skin, the average thickness of which is 2.5 cm. The most delicate and vulnerable areas are on the inside of the ears and around the mouth.
The color of Asian elephants varies from dark gray to brown. Extremely rare are albino elephants, which are highly valued in Siam and even serve as an object of worship there. Their main feature is light skin with even lighter spots and pale yellow eyes. Some specimens had a pale red-brown coloration with white hairs on the back.
A distinctive feature of the Asian elephant are small ears in the shape of an irregular quadrangle. Their tusks are two or even three times smaller than those of African elephants. In some subspecies, only males have them, while in Sri Lankan they are completely absent. This saved the Indian elephant from insatiable poachers, who caused significant damage to the elephant population in Africa.
Wild Asian elephants are found in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, as well as in Brunei. They live in national parks, nature reserves and remote areas. Since elephants willingly devastate plantations of rice, sugar cane and bananas, they are considered pests of agriculture and are carefully ousted from "cultural" areas.
It's hard to believe, but Indian elephants are very agile animals with an amazing sense of balance. Despite their size, they willingly climb the wooded slopes of the mountains to a height of up to 3.6 thousand meters (to the border of eternal snow in the Himalayas). The structure of the sole allows them to travel through swampy areas without fear, although from time to time they test the reliability of the soil under their feet with powerful blows with their trunk.
Female Asian elephants live in small groups consisting of 2-10 adults with cubs of different ages. "Commands" all the most adult female, who cares about the safety of all members of the herd.
Elephants often help each other out: for example, when one of them comes to the time of childbirth, all the others surround her in a dense ring and do not disperse until the baby is born and stands on her legs - this is how they protect the mother and her cub from predators. In addition, a young elephant, although it adheres to its mother, can “snack” from any other lactating female in the herd.
At the age of 10-16 years, young males leave their mother forever and begin to live alone, while females remain in their own herd for life. In general, the life cycle of elephants is similar to the human one: at 12-16 years old, young animals become capable of reproducing offspring, but they reach adult size only by the age of 20.
Elephants have a life expectancy of 60-80 years. Interestingly, in the wild, they do not die from disease (this rarely happens), but from hunger. The fact is that chewing teeth in elephants are replaced only 4 times during their life. After 40 years, new teeth no longer grow, and old ones gradually wear out. By the age of 70, they become unsuitable for chewing and the elephant loses the ability to eat.
