Fascinating facts about elephants: Tusks are enlarged incisor teeth first appearing around 2 years old. They continue growing throughout life, used for feeding or defense when fighting. But tusks often cause elephants danger as they’re made from ivory. An elephant’s skin is 2.5 cm thick, retaining up to 10 times more water than flat skin, helping cool them down.
There are two elephant species – African and Asian. African elephants migrate across forests and deserts in 37 African countries while Asian elephants roam forests and grasslands in India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. All elephants are at risk.
It takes 22 months from conception for a female to have a baby, longer than any other animal. Newborns can stand up shortly after birth and weigh up to 260 pounds.
Elephants have the largest brain in the animal kingdom, weighing up to 5 kg. But the human brain is larger proportionally. The average life span is 50-70 years but the oldest known was 86.
Elephants walk at 4 mph and can swim long distances. Their trunk is an extended nose and lip with finger-like extensions on the end – two on African and one on Asian. It’s used effectively as an arm. Their sense of smell is four times better than a bloodhound’s.
If an elephant dies its family takes care of the bones. On average, African elephant ears are three times larger than Asian elephants’ and are used for signalling and protection. An adult elephant poops 80 pounds a day. Both African and Asian elephants use ears as air conditioners.
What color is an elephant?
The natural color is grayish black. An elephant appears the same color as the soil where it lives. Elephants have two types of color sensors: for blue and yellow. They can’t distinguish between reds and greens. Asian elephants have darker skin than African ones. Albino elephants are called “white” despite their pink color. This portrays purity, not color.
Elephants like mud baths. The soil color stays on them. Their skin thickness varies. Elephant Gray is a warm, oak Merlot gray. It’s perfect for home exteriors. Elephants’ eyes are brownish-yellow to amber. Their tongues are pink like humans’. When sick, they become pale gray.
Tsavo’s red elephants look red from volcanic soil. No blue elephants exist. But elephants have been painted blue, red and more to gain support. Elephants cry, but it’s physical, not emotional. They lack tear ducts.
How many African elephants are left?
In 2015, there were around 415,000 African elephants left. For the Asian species, this is 40,000 to 50,000. The Asian elephant is endangered. The African elephant was previously treated as a single species, but has been separated into the African forest elephant and African savanna elephant for evaluation.
Today, there are just 415,000 elephants across Africa. There are around 40,000 to 50,000 Asian elephants left. The ivory trade, habitat loss, poaching and elephant-human conflict pose threats to elephant populations. Since 1979, the habitat of African elephants has been reduced by over 50%, while Asian elephants only have about 15% of their original range.
In 1930, approximately 10 million wild elephants were in Africa. Since then, elephant populations have dwindled due to habitat loss and illegal poaching. These declines continue.
African elephants have been recognised as two species: savannah elephant and forest elephant. They are categorised as Endangered and Critically Endangered.
Less than 500,000 elephants exist today of both African and Asian species. In Africa, there are approximately 415,000 left whilst in Asia, 40,000.
Tens of thousands of elephants, old and young, are killed every year for ivory. The math works out to one every 15 minutes. Ivory trade has been around for centuries, reaching its peak when Africa was colonized.
The forest dwellers can hardly sustain lethal pressure because few mammals reproduce so slowly. Results revealed 65% of forest elephants had been wiped out. Females begin giving birth around 23, about a decade later than Savannah counterparts. Females only produce a calf every five or six years, compared to three- to four years for Savannah kin.
What is the symbolic meaning of the elephant?
Elephants symbolize strength, power, wisdom, good luck and loyalty across cultures. They represent understanding complex ideas. Elephants relate to earth and water, linking them to healing, endurance and regeneration. Their symbolism also connects to perception and seeing different aspects of a situation. A story illustrates this: Blind men touch an elephant and describe very different animals. Maybe you only see the trunk or leg of your own “elephant”. With patience, your perception may change.
In Hinduism and Buddhism, elephants are sacred symbols of wisdom, strength and long life. They tug emotions, being tender, strong, smart and silly. Owning an elephant represents good fortune.
Dreaming of elephants signifies strength, loyalty, stability and memory. It suggests dealing with obstacles and slowing down. Riding an elephant in dreams means others depend heavily on you as a leader.
Elephants symbolize intelligence with brains over three times larger than humans. They display humor, grief and self-awareness. Their symbolism includes majesty, unity and other noble qualities. Deeply connected to nature, elephant spirit animals represent divine feminine nurturing.
Beyond physicality, elephants represent sacred wisdom, strength and loyalty. Their size and gentle nature have spiritual meaning. The elephant head of Hindu god Ganesha signifies overcoming challenges through wisdom and intelligence.
We continue learning more about how elephants’ importance and significance enriches our lives.