Habitat
Dense
tropical forests and grassy plains up to 10,000 feet (3,048 m) |
Head/Body Length and Shoulder Height
Adult length: 18-21 feet (5.5-6.4 m)
Adult shoulder height: 8-10.5 feet (2.5-3 m)
|
Weight
Adult weight: 6,600-11,500 pounds
(3,000-5,227 kg) |
Life
Span
Average life
expectancy for an elephant in captivity and the wild is about 45 years |
Diet
In the wild: Elephants are herbivores, feeding
on bamboo, grasses and leaves, roots, bark and fruit. Soil
is eaten for its mineral content. The Asian elephant requires
less food than the African elephant because of the diversity
and quality of food found in its more lush native habitat.
At the zoo: Hay,
grain and vegetables (carrots are a favorite) |
If you
like this animal and find it particularly fascinating you
can adopt it!
Reproduction
Female Asian elephants (cows) mature sexually at around 9-12 years
of age and produce calves at intervals of about every three to five years.
Although males (bulls) reach sexual maturity around 10-15 years
of age, they often do not breed until they are about 30 years old
when they become large and strong enough to successfully compete
with other large male elephants for females. An elephant's
reproductive cycle corresponds to seasonal food and water supplies.
The gestation period lasts about 22 months (630-660 days). Mothers
give birth to one calf (twins are rare) that weighs approximately
200 pounds (90 kg).
Life Cycle
Calves suckle with their mouth (not trunk) and may not be fully weaned until
the birth of the next calf. Full-grown elephants consume about six to eight
percent of their own body weight in vegetation each day. To accomplish
this, they spend as many as 18 hours per day feeding. These massive animals
can drink 26 gallons (100 liters) of water at one time and, when thirsty,
more than 55 gallons (208 liters) within minutes. Due to their large size,
adult elephants have no natural predators. Young elephants, however, are
occasionally preyed on by tigers.
Looks can be Deceiving
Although Asian and African elephants look much alike, there are several physical
characteristics that distinguish them from one another. Asian elephants
are smaller in size, usually have smaller tusks (a female's tusks
are not visible beyond the lips), have two domed-shaped bulges on their
forehead, have a rounded back, smaller ears and less wrinkled skin, and
have a single finger-like projection at the top of the trunk tip.
Unlike most herbivores,
elephants cannot reach the ground with their mouths because their
necks are too short. To compensate for their short neck, elephants
have developed highly versatile trunks (fusion of upper lip and nose)
which enable them to feed from the ground and reach high in trees.
A trunk weighs about 400 pounds (182 kg), contains at least 40,000
muscles (and possibly up to 100,000), can hold up to 2.5 gallons
(9.5 l) of water and is so dexterous that it can pick up a grain
of rice. Other uses of this versatile organ are smelling, snorkeling,
lifting, greeting, caressing, fighting and vocalizing.
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Fascinating
Facts
- Asian elephants
once ranged from Iraq in the west, throughout Asia south
of the Himalayas to northern China!
- Just as humans
are right- or left-handed, elephants are either right- or
left-tusked!
- Asian elephants
have been used by humans for over 5,000 years as beasts of
burden, in warfare and in ceremonial activities!
|
Woodland
Park Zoo's
two female Asian elephants and one female African elephant can be
seen at the Elephant Forest exhibit located in the Tropical Asia
bioclimatic zone. The elephants have use of a large area that includes
a paddock, bathing pool and barn. On cold or wet days, visitors can
expect to find the elephants in their heated barn.
The
Asian elephant is an endangered species.* There are fewer than
35,000 (10,000 in captivity) left in the wild and their numbers
are decreasing due to habitat loss resulting from human activities
such as urban development, agriculture and poaching for their ivory
tusks.
Woodland Park Zoo has joined other zoos to help preserve and protect these magnificent animals by participating in the Association of Zoos & Aquariums' (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Asian and African elephants. To enhance the captive breeding of Asian elephants, zoos are working toward constructing more facilities capable of handling adult bull elephants. Learn more about elephant conservation.
How You Can Help!
The effort to save endangered species requires cooperation and support at the
international, national, regional and individual levels. You can
help in this cause. Join and become active in Woodland Park Zoo and other
conservation organizations of your choice. Please do not buy products made
from wild animal parts.
Contact
Woodland Park Zoo at webkeeper@zoo.org to find out
about ways you can support conservation programs at the zoo. Discover
more about endangered elephants by contacting the World Wildlife
Fund at their Web site at www.worldwildlife.org. Learn
other ways you can help conserve wildlife and the habitats they
require for survival by visiting our How You Can Help page.
Sources and Suggested
Reading
Eltringham, S. K.
Dr. 1991. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Elephants. Crescent Books,
New York, NY. 188 p.
Macdonald, David,
ed. 1993. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. Facts on File, Inc., New York,
NY. 895 p.
For Kids!
Animal Close-Ups.
1992. The Elephant: Peaceful Giant. Charlesbridge Publishing, Watertown,
MA. 27 p.
Zoobooks, 1994. Elephants.
Wildlife Education, Ltd., San Diego, CA. 22 p.
More References
Compare the Asian Elephant with
the African Elephant
Facts about Woodland Park Zoo's
Elephants
Frequently Asked Questions about
Elephants
Learn more about Elephant Care and Conservation
*There are several international and federal agencies that determine the endangered status of species. WPZ designates a species as endangered if it is listed as endangered on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List, the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Endangered Species List, or on Appendix I of CITES (Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna).
Last revised on November 17, 2006
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