Wrinkled skin, an imposing profile, giant ears, and firm steps: in fiction, the most famous character is Dumbo, a calf that has become a favorite of several generations. Now is the time to learn more about this giant animal and discover some curious facts, such as how long an elephant lives. Enjoy your reading!
How long do elephants live?
The life expectancy of big cats can vary depending on the species. The forest elephant and the savanna elephant live 60 to 70 years on average. The Asian can reach 48 or 50 years.
In the case of elephants raised in captivity, to avoid extinction, the life span can drop dramatically, to between 30 and 40 years. The good news is that there are ancient species found in Africa that are up to 90 years old.
Unlike other species, such as wildebeests (which have low life expectancy), elephants scare everyone and are not usually attacked by predators. From hippos to crocodiles and big cats, no animal puts them in danger. Therefore, the life expectancy of the elephant is higher.
Are Elephants on the brink of extinction?
You already know how long an elephant lives in the wild, on average. Unfortunately, due to illegal activities related to hunting, the life span of the big-eared is shortened.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the African elephant is classified as vulnerable. The Asian elephant, on the other hand, is endangered.
Elephants or elephantids are mammals and are part of the order Proboscidea, but they have been classified as Pachyderms. Whatever the species, they are the largest terrestrial animals known to exist on earth.
Currently, there are three species of elephants still alive. However, the ivory found in the tusks of the big guys is highly targeted by hunters. Thus, some are endangered.
Those that can still be seen on safaris or documentaries are the Asian elephants, the savanna elephants, and the forest elephants. So when in doubt about how long an elephant lives, remember to take into consideration the species in question.
More about elephants
Knowing how long an elephant lives, how about learning more about other elephant habits? Did you know that it consumes 130 L of water per day? This already gives you a basis for its possible weight.
Whoever guessed between 2,000 and 7,000 kg got it right! Yes, this animal weighs tons. The real dimension will depend on the species, but we can guarantee: elephants are never light.
The main difference between Asian and African elephants is exactly in the size. While the Asians reach 2 meters in height and 6 meters in length, the Africans easily pass this margin, reaching 3.5 meters in height and 7 meters in length.
As a curiosity, in 1955 the largest elephant was seen by humans in Angola, on the African continent. The animal reached the 12-ton mark. Moreover, the brain of this big guy weighs from 4 kg to 5 kg.
Elephants like to live in packs or groups with their young. There are cases of males found alone and only looking for the female in reproductive seasons. This is an interesting curiosity: the gestation of elephants lasts almost 2 years (22 months), and the calf is usually born weighing 100 kg.
Speaking of weight, the elephant devotes 16 hours a day only to feeding. No wonder he is the largest herbivore in the world. Herbivorous animals are those that only eat plants and leaves. That’s 200 kilograms of food a day.
Despite their large food intake, elephants only digest 40% of what they eat. This is the reason for the large quantity over a long period. To catch food, elephants use front tusks, which lift the earth and pull up grains and plants.
