Elephants are recognized as the most intelligent and compassionate creatures, and every year on August 12, the world honors them the appropriate attention, bTV reported.
According to official data, elephants are among the animals that annually kill the most people. But the fault for this does not lie with the elephants, but with the people who constantly limit the territory of the large mammals, chase them and kill them for their tusks.
Here are some interesting facts about elephants:
The elephant's gestation period is 22 months – longer than any other mammal in the world.
A newborn human baby weighs an average of 3 kilograms, while a newborn elephant can reach 260 kilograms.
The baby stands up and starts walking shortly after birth.
An elephant's trunk is sensitive enough to graze grass and strong enough to tear a branch from a tree.
The proboscis is also used for drinking water – an elephant can suck up to 14 liters at a time and then swallow it straight into its stomach.
When bathing, the elephant sucks up water to spray on its body. After the bath, he sprays dirt and mud on himself, which when dry acts as a sunscreen.
Elephants have two gaits – slow for walking and faster which is similar to running. They cannot jump, but they can swim and then use their trunk as a snorkel.
Females spend their entire lives in close family groups made up of mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and daughters. The oldest woman usually leads the group.
Adult male elephants prefer to lead a bachelor lifestyle.
African elephants sleep a maximum of two hours a day, often being awake for 48 hours.