They don’t like peanuts, be it in the wild or in captivity. Their trunks are full of sensitive nerve endings – the ant menace inside their trunks is real. It is said they avoid eating a variant of the acacia tree, which is home to ants. They endure long pregnancies – African elephants are pregnant for up to 22 months and Asian elephants, 19 to 20 months.ĭespite their large size, they’re not particularly fond of ants. Don’t get fooled by their rugged appearance – dirt and mud act as a natural sunscreen – the next time you see an elephant rolling on mud, know its skincare. Similar to most humans, elephants have sensitive skin. The only country to have elephants as the “national animal” is Thailand. Thanks to their strong memory, they can retain over 60 commands, with the largest brain size among land mammals, weighing about 11-13 pounds. Here are some interesting facts, along with an overview of the conservation efforts.Įlephants are said to remember acts of kindness. They’re at the forefront of awareness building, including partnerships with 100 elephant conservation organisations across the globe, rallying together to voice their concerns and elephant conservation. No wonder then that World Elephant Day, celebrated every year on August 12, came into existence in the year 2012 – a joint initiative between the Thailand-based Elephant Reintroduction Foundation (ERF) and Canadian producer, writer and president of World Elephant Society, Patricia Sims. In the words of conservation biologist, Samuel Wasser, “Without elephants, there will be major habitat changes, with negative effects on the many species that depend on the lost habitat.” One can see the cyclic nature - they eat seeds and excrete dung containing the seeds from which new plants grow. Their dung is particularly useful for soil. As elephants eat, they create gaps in the vegetation, which is filled with new plants. They also provide food to smaller animals in the form of seed dispersal. They play a vital role in providing groundwater to other species, particularly during the dry season – they use their tusks to dig groundwater in areas where droughts are common. As the largest of all terrestrial mammals, they’re “ecological engineers” and contribute to the natural world in strategic ways. Aren’t elephants the most adorable species to walk on the face of the Earth?Īpart from being cute, they are ecologically important.
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