Interesting Facts About Elephants

A group of elephants can be called a 'memory of elephants', although a herd is a more common collective noun. On a related theme, elephants follow cattle in that the females, males and offspring are called, cows, bulls and calves respectively.

The elephant's memory is legendary, what is not so well known is they have a special ceremony for greeting a long lost member of the herd. In this greeting ceremony both elephants flap their ears, trumpet and generally express joy.

It would be easy to be fooled into thinking that elephants drank through their trunks; in fact they use the trunk as a funnel to collect water, but then pour it into their mouth. Sometimes elephants choose to spray themselves with the water rather than drinking it. Incidentally, there are no bones in an elephant's trunk.

An elephant detective could track an elephant by following their individual footprints. What would help such stalking is the elephant's habit of using the same paths as their ancestors.

Elephants display 'right-handedness', not in their limbs, but in the tusks. Close examination of an elephant's tusks will reveal that one tusk has a blunter tip and is thicker than its less favoured counterpart. The reason for this difference is that in their natural habitat elephants use their tusk(s) for gathering food, and digging for water. Consequently the tusk on their favourite becomes more developed, but blunter.

Elephant's ivory poses a terrible dilemma, it's a wonderful and versatile material, but the fact that tusks are so valuable encourages poaching. It seems particularly obscene to think of such a noble, sensitive, joyous animal suffering at the hands of barbaric poachers.

The gestation period of mammals is in proportion to their size. Thus, pregnancy in mice lasts about 21 days, whereas in elephants it takes over 21 months.

March 13th is National Thai Elephant Day. While September 22nd is Elephant Appreciation Day.

great facts, good read, gestation is sooooo long! xx

I know, glad I am my type of Nellie when it comes to that - would be even more insane !

it must be such a struggle and a long emotional time! xx

elephants are amazing animals...

I agree with Tayer, they are such amazing animals. Just majestic

Interesting read glad human pregnancy isnt that long

Thank you for this, it is so very intersting. I have alwys loved elephants or as I affectionately call tthem "flumps."

Hugs

JO xx

I love the term flumps, might have to pinch this one xx

Love heffalumps!!!

We could have heffaflumps - sounds good xx

Ooooohhhh...I like that......heffaflumps it is!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Sheila xx

aww, elephants are great! x