The Elephant
Introduction: The elephant is the largest quadruped animal. Its height can be above eight feet. This big bulk is supported on four strong pillar-like legs.
Scientific Name: There are basically two types of elephants, African and Asian. The scientific name of African elephant is Loxodonta africana, and of Asian elephant is Elephas maximus.
Body: The prominent features of the elephant are its trunk, its hanging ears, and the tusks of some male elephants. The trunk, attached to its mouth, is several feet long, flexible yet strong. It is a multi-purpose organ, used for feeding, fighting, bathing, breathing and expressing emotions.
African elephants are bigger is size, darker in color, and with more prominent ears.
Where are elephants found? The elephant is found in Africa, India, Burma, Sri Lanka and Siam.
Living style: It lives in a herd led by a strong male elephant. The babies are well-protected during the movement of the herd from one place to another. They usually live on land, but are very fond of water.
Food: Elephant is a herbivorous animal. They depend of plants to meet their requirement for food. They eat branches of trees, vegetables, fruit, grass, etc.Sometimes, when there is scarcity of food in the forest, elephant herds come out to villages and target paddy fields and wheat fields.
Relationship with men: The elephant is an intelligent animal. When domesticated, they take orders from the master and the ‘mahout’. A trained elephant performs delightful tricks in the circus. But an angry elephant is a source of great danger. It can destroy anything.
In the zoo, we enjoy an elephant ride. Usually elephants help man by carrying heavy loads and logs in the forest. The tusk of the elephant is used for making costly and artistic items. For this ivory, poachers often kill elephants. Everyone should denounce such a crime.
