|
There are plenty of activity options opened for you within the Indian
Wild life Sanctuaries and they are not just restricted to watching
the animals and birds. |
|
Home >> Wild
Animals in India >> Indian Elephant
Indian Elephant
Also known as the Asian elephant, the Indian Elephant is a gentle giant.
Often tamed for use as a load-bearing animal, elephants are prized for their
immense strength, their sedate nature when tamed and are worshipped in India
as an incarnation of the elephant headed god Ganesha. Tame elephants are
often kept in temples in India and bear the images of the gods in temple
processions on festive days. Elephants have been used historically in India
as the mounts of rulers, and as a part of warfare.
Zoological name
Elephas maximus
Range
The Indian Elephant is found across India in protected forests and in Nepal,
Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Estimated population
It is estimated that there are over 28,000 Indian Elephants in India, including
zoos and animal parks.
Physical characteristics
Elephants are the largest of all mammals on land. The Indian elephant is
smaller than the African elephant, however it can grow up to 11 feet tall
and weigh up to 5 tons. The elephant's brain is the heaviest of all land
mammals and can weigh up to 5 Kg. Elephants have large ears, are covered
with gray hairy skin, and are characterized by their long trunks which can
be used in a number of ways including for breathing, to suck in water or
food, to lift and pull objects, and to make trumpeting noises and other
sounds for communication. All male Indian elephants do not have tusks. Elephants
that do have large tusks are hunted by poachers who seek the tusks for their
ivory. The tusks, which are elongated incisor teeth, are used for digging,
pushing and fighting with other male elephants. The molar teeth which elephants
use for chewing are located within their mouths and are replaced as they
get worn out, until about age 40.
Habitat
The Indian Elephant is found in the wild in densely forested areas of India
including the tropical forests of South India, North East India and the
sub Himalayan region. Also known as the Asian Elephant it is found in Sri
Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Viet Nam,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos and China.
Diet
Elephants are herbivorous creatures and spend a large amount of time everyday
eating up to 300 Kg of vegetation, including grass, leaves, fruit and the
bark of trees. The length of an elephant's digestive system is around 100
feet. Elephants that are tamed are fed on leaves, sugarcane, bananas and
rice gruel.
Behavior
Elephants have a complex social structure. In the wild they live in family
groups led by mature female elephants, their young and sometimes older bull
elephants. Mature male elephants are often solitary or live in small groups
of male elephants only. Elephants live up to 70 years old and can sleep
while standing. Tame elephants are made to sit or lie down while its trainer
or mahout attends to it, in the wild however an elephant will not lie down
unless it is sick.
Elephants enjoy wallowing in water, which helps clean their skin, which
does not have any sweat glands. Adult male elephants around the age of 20
undergo a phase of heightened sexual urge known as "musth." Male elephants
become aggressive and violent for a phase lasting up to 60 days. This phase
recurs periodically through an adult male elephant's life. Female elephants
can bear young around the age of 16. Usually one, but sometimes two, offspring
are born at a time. Elephants give birth to about 4 young ones over a span
of 60 years. Elephants communicate through a variety of noises, including
infrasonic sounds, which are inaudible to human beings.
Status
Indian Elephants are threatened by poaching for their tusks, by
the loss of habitat due to human pressure on forested areas and due to human
conflict. The isolated populations of wild elephants in individual wildlife
sanctuaries are also threatened by loss of genetic diversity. Recently a
number of corridors connecting wildlife sanctuaries have been established
to encourage the migration of wild elephants.
Tourists can see the Indian Elephant in most of the national parks in India
while traveling on India wildlife tours: Periyar National Park in Kerala
in South India and Corbett National Park in Uttaranchal in North India,
are some of the best sanctuaries where Indian elephants can be observed
in their natural habitat.
|
