Fascinating Facts About Elephants

One thing that sets human beings apart from other animals is our ability to observe and study other animals. Over the years humans have grown to understand a great number of animals(if not all) through the work of scientists and research experts.

Elephants are one such animal. Being the world’s largest land animal, this was an easy task. Studying elephants require a great deal of skill and dedication. Here are some fascinating facts about elephants you probably didn’t know.

• They are very intelligent animals with a sense of awareness, feelings, and emotions. Elephants can recognize themselves in the mirror, which is an unusual feat for animals.
• A baby elephant can stand within 20 minutes after they’re born!. This is not much of a surprise seeing as the gestation period of elephants is almost two years(22 months). This is the longest period of pregnancy for any mammal.
• Elephants can hear through their feet. They can hear vibrations over a long distance.
• Despite their huge weight and size, elephants are excellent swimmers. They can also run long distances. They are however the only mammal that cannot jump.
• They cannot live without their trunks as they perform a variety of vital functions through their trunks. Scientists have confirmed that the trunks of elephants are powerful and sensitive as they are filled with over 40000 muscles. The prehensile trunks help them to breathe especially underwater, eat, smell and defend themselves.
• Elephants can differentiate between the human languages. This is another proof of their smartness. They can tell when it’s an adult or a kid speaking. They can also distinguish a male’s voice from a female’s.
• Possessing the largest brain amongst mammals, it is no surprise that the memory of elephants is superb. They never forget things, people, or happenings in their life. This wonderful memory is passed down from generation to generation. So he is careful never to offend an elephant as it will not forget and may revenge when next you both have an encounter.

Sadly these wonderful creatures are endangered. And what’s worst is that there are just two species of elephants in the world; The African Elephant, and The Asian Elephant. The two species are both endangered.