Elephants are considered one of the largest mammals in the world. Worshiped by many cultures and represented even by gods. They are extraordinary animals but because of the greed of man today part of their species is in danger of extinction. Many people wonder where elephants live, so today we bring this article where we will talk about it.
The giants of the earth
The elephant, imposing and beautiful mammal whose ancestor is one of the largest animals of prehistory, the mammoth. They are very long-lived animals, they can easily reach 70 years of age, some have even been known to exceed 90 years. The elephant is categorized among the 10 largest on Earth, although it is number one when we refer to those that are terrestrial.
Its most outstanding physical characteristics are its long trunk, through which it breathes, sniffs and takes its food and water before consuming them, its ears, large and that can perceive sounds that are very far away, and finally its size, since it does stand out among the vast majority of other species. There are several types of elephants that have different characteristics from each other.
Where do African elephants live?
African elephants are divided into two subspecies, there are those that are found in the savannah and those that live in the jungles. Although in both cases these animals are found within African territory, they are located in different areas of the country.
Next, we are going to explain a little about the characteristics of the elephants of the savannah and those of the jungle, since both have some small differences between them. In addition, we will also specify where does the elephant live depending on your location.
- African Savannah Elephant: This can reach approximately 4 meters and its weight easily reaches 6 tons. The habitat of these animals is desert, however, they remain grouped most of the year in those areas where they can find water, food and a little shade. In dry seasons they migrate in search of vital liquid and food.
- African Jungle Elephant: this specimen is a little smaller than that of the savannah, as its height can reach 3 meters and weigh approximately 5 tons. Plants and humidity abound in their ecosystem, where it is much easier for them to obtain food, meals and shade. The forested and jungle areas of Africa are located in the central region of the country.
Where does the Asian elephant live?
The Asian elephant is a species that can reach 3 meters in height without any problem. Within the Asian continent we can find three subspecies of these mammals, they would be the Sri Lankan elephant, the Sumatran elephant and the Indian elephant. All of them share the same characteristics, something that does not happen with African elephants as we mentioned earlier.
These giants are considered gods in India because the head of God Ganesha is like that of an elephant. These animals can be found in various regions of Asia, some of them are the ones that give them their name, however, you can also see them in Nepal, Borneo, Thailand and some other regions. Its main habitat is the tropical forest area, this is because this type of place has much more wealth in terms of its food, water and since it has a lot of vegetation, they can easily find plenty and can hide.
Where does the elephant seal live?
These marine animals despite the fact that they share the name with the elephants, the truth is that they are descendants of the same in no way. These aquatic mammals are divided into two species, those from the north and those from the south. There are some differences between the two that distinguish them from each other.
The northern elephant seal has this name because its habitat is in North America, essentially in the coldest parts of that region. You can find them in Alaska and in some Mexican areas. On the contrary, the southern elephant seal lives in slightly warmer places, specifically in the Patagonian coastal zone.
These mammals were called "elephants" due to some physical characteristics that they share with these animals, among them is the color and thickness of their skin, the trunk that males have that is similar to that of an elephant, and the fact that they are heavy animals, because these animals can reach a ton very easily.
Thanks to their large size, these animals do not have many predators, their main threat is sharks and some more daring killer whales. These animals usually live most of their lives in the water, however, when mating and breeding season, they approach the sea coast and remain there most of that time.
What do elephants eat?
Many people wonder What do elephants eat?Well, these terrestrial giants are essentially herbivores, this means that their main food is the leaves, branches and stems of the vegetation that surrounds them. Due to their large size, these mammals eat a lot, their food portions tend to be extremely abundant, they can devour up to 200 kilos of food without problems.
Although food is extremely important for elephants, it must be remembered that water is also essential for all living beings, which is why these, most of the time, prefer to live in places that are close to water, be it rivers , streams or ponds. They can consume up to 200 liters of the vital liquid. The elephants not only use the water to drink it, but it is also essential for their toilet, they can submerge themselves in the water to bathe or use their trunks as hoses and then pour it over their bodies.
Why are elephants endangered?
One of the main causes of elephants being in danger of extinction today is man. Illegal hunters have been in charge of killing these animals for hundreds of years, this because they want to acquire the tusks of the animal. Elephant tusks are made of ivory, an extremely popular material for handicrafts and can be very expensive. For this reason, poaching is usually very cruel and abundant, although there are currently many people who try to stop this aberration.
Humans have also chosen to make hunting these animals a sport, they create a group of people related to these ideas and pretending to be a safari, they go to where the animals are to kill them without thinking that this may end up detracting from their extinction. We must remember that there are only about 1000 specimens of this species left around the world.
However, not all humans agree with the killing of elephants, there are those who seek their conservation and protection. This is why specialized sanctuaries have been created to ensure that these mammals remain alive and that they can continue to reproduce.
Other causes that have led them to be in danger are due to the fact that their environment has been destroying more and more. The human being is again the main responsible since they take more and more land for their crops, making these animals have to change their habitat. But not everything is man's fault, climate change has also contributed to forest burning and the scarcity of food and food that global warming brings with it.
We must take into consideration the seriousness in which this species is found. Raising awareness is not only the task of conservationists, biologists and veterinarians. We can also put our grain of sand when we talk about these issues with those who are unaware of it. In addition to this, we can also begin to take care of our planet, since global warming has occurred thanks to the lack of awareness of the human being.
It is sad to realize that so many species in the world are today in danger of disappearing because of us, since the responsibility falls on us as we are the ones who have damaged our Earth and there are even many humans who kill and destroy species without caring about the consequences that this brings with it.