Most people know the elephant as a huge, good, but the sad and clumsy animal.These giants are very friendly, outgoing and caring.Tourists are always attracted to these giants.They are interested in different questions: why they have big ears;how many elephants lasts pregnancy and who are the main herd?
Lifestyle
Elephants are considered to be the largest animals, which can be found on land.These giants belong to the class of mammals and are very social animals.Their natural habitat - South-East Asia and Africa.
Elephants live in families, and in families matriarchy reigns full, and males are expelled at a young age from a herd (or they leave themselves).Adult males live alone and approaching the family only for mating with mature females.Elephant family consists of the older elephant, her daughters (with children), and other female relatives.
By their nature, elephants - the nomads.It is an older female leads his family in search of food, and she decides where to go, where and how much time you need to relax.
These huge animals are very sociable and happy to communicate with their own kind.Tactile contact plays a huge role in the lives of giants.They touch each other trunk, stroke in greeting, senior junior kick as punishment.With great attention to each other are members of one family, special care and attention gets ill or dying elephant.
question of how many elephants pregnancy lasts for a long time remained controversial in scientific circles.But to date, thanks to observations, research and documentation zoologists know much about pregnancy, childbirth, and subsequent care of the cub these mighty herbivores.
Elephant: pregnancy
months pregnant, of course, does not consider herself an elephant.But elephants are the leader in the offspring during gestation.Pregnant female elephant longest.
question of how many elephants lasts pregnancy - one of the most sought after questions about the woman's pregnancy.These herbivores are hatching offspring from 20 to 22 months (almost 2 years).
By the 19th month of the fruit is almost formed, and only gaining weight.When the elephant feels that the hour is approaching childbirth, it is removed from the herd.Often the woman in childbirth is accompanied by another elephant.Births last more than 2 hours.
Previously, scientists believed that the elephant's gestation period is dependent on the floor hatched baby elephant.It was believed if the light should appear male elephant, the pregnancy a few months longer.During the research, this assumption was rejected.For the period of pregnancy of an elephant affect climate, the weather, the food and the individual characteristics of the female.
Sexual maturity occurs at 10-12-th year of life.Over a lifetime, a female can give birth to up to nine elephants, rarely twins are born.It will take 4 or 5 years after giving birth to an elephant could get pregnant again.
cub
various studies, scientists have explained such a long gestation period of an elephant.The fact that the baby in the womb is developing very well in all ways: physically and mentally.And after half an hour after the birth of a baby can stand up and follow her mother.
elephant feeds on mother's milk and a half years (although it may be up to five years of life).To feed the baby becomes female on mound.Elephant gets on the hill and reaches to the udder.If the female is the firstborn, she may not be aware of this method of feeding a baby elephant not get to the udder will remain hungry.His cries come running more experienced females, and if some of them will "milk", she fed him.
In the first year of life can not enjoy the elephant trunk, so drinking water and sucks milk mouth.Over time, the baby's mother teaches his own trunk.Solid food baby begins to take 6 months, but only two years could switch completely to the adult diet.Elephants, like little children, love to play, have fun and get dirty.
Maternity
elephants quickly learn to live in the family.By the way, the young females who have not yet come puberty (2-11 years), looking after infants.It is believed that as they try on the role of mother.
elephant to 4 years in great need of a mother, she follows him, leading him.Tactile contact between them is always present: it pops his trunk, slightly pushing foot touches its tail, baby rubs against her leg when tired to walk, and the belly mother when hungry.
elephant really care for their offspring, and if it is threatened, they entwine their trunks kids and carry them away.
Interesting facts
For many, the fact how many elephants lasts pregnancy itself interesting and arouses curiosity.But nature endowed these wonderful animals with unusual abilities and different qualities, which often is the cause for the spread of legends and aphorisms:
- Despite its size, the elephants - very good swimmers.
- They are good for wildlife development of consciousness, they find themselves in the mirror.
- They use tools such as a branch are like a fly swatter.
- Studies have shown that they have a very good memory (they perform the tasks in the study, and learn the nature of their relatives).
- Legend has it that elephants are afraid of mice, as one small rodent could crawl into the trunk and to block the access of air.It is not true.Even if a mouse gets into the trunk, the elephant will blow it out with violent force.
- These animals are well developed musical ear and memory, they are able to distinguish trehnotnye tunes.
- Ears are used to regulate body temperature and obmahivaniya.
- vein pattern on the ears of elephants as unique as fingerprints in humans.
- Adults sleep standing up.
- They can jump, because they have only 2 kneecaps.
