Some time ago we looked at a few facts about elephants. Let’s look at some other interesting facts about this largest of all land animals. (In the animal kingdom, only whales are larger.) They also have the distinction of having the largest ears in the world and their tusks are the largest teeth.
The way they live together is interesting. For instance, a large herd (10 to 50 or more) is usually led by a female and is often all sisters or brothers. A group of younger ones may be headed by a grandmother with her young relatives and a few others included. Such groups may stay together for as long as 50 or 60 years.
In some ways they are not too different from people. They have times of sadness and times of happiness. Most of them are peaceful and get along with almost all other animals. However, some have quick tempers, and still others are playful. On occasions just two or three may be found apart from the rest, perhaps because of a quarrel with their usual companions. But most often a group consists of 10 or 12 females of different ages or a separate group of males. Males and females don’t mix with each other most of the year.
Elephants are often excitable. A writer tells of seeing two family groups, who had for some reason been separated quite a while, happily racing toward one another with loud trumpet calls, dancing and rubbing against one another, winding trunks together in a loving way.
At birth a baby elephant weighs about 200 pounds and stands about three feet tall. It can stand and walk almost immediately, but will stay close to and be cared for by its mother throughout its early years. The father doesn’t show any interest in the calf, but its mother is very loving and attentive, often seen hugging it with her trunk. Her huge ears are often slowly flapping like a big fan. This may be to keep insects away or to provide some cooling on a hot day.
In one day a fully grown wild elephant eats about 500 pounds of grass, leaves, roots, miscellaneous plants, and any fresh fruit it can shake off a tree. It also drinks 50 gallons of water. A sick or injured elephant will find a place with water and shade away from the others and remain there until it gets better or dies.
Have you given your heart to Him?
APRIL 3, 1994
ML-04/03/1994