Elephant: Appearance, Habitat and Uses
Peculiarities of its appearance: The elephant is the largest of living quadrupeds. Its appearance is characterized by the great massiveness of its body and by the possession of what is known as its trunk and two big teeth called tusks on the two sides of this trunk.
Elephant grows to seven to nine feet in height and is more bulky than any other creature. It sometimes weighs more than three tons. It has colossal legs, which support this bulky body.
The trunk is a very important limb of the elephant. It is in fact a huge prolongation of its nose and upper lip. Its length is equal to the height of the animal, and it is exceedingly flexible. It is as important to elephant as hands are for humans. With its help, the elephant collects food and drink to survive.
The tusks (long pointed tooth) are also very useful to the elephant. They are often used by the animal as offensive and defensive weapons.
The ears of the elephant are like two big winnowing fans, and its eyes are very small.
Habitat: Elephants inhabit the wooded parts of India, Myanmar (Burma), Sumatra, Borneo and Africa. In the hill forests of Assam and in the Himalayan regions, they are found to roam about in big herds. They move about under a single leader.
Its uses: From very ancient times, elephants have been caught and tamed, and many are the uses to which they are put.
In bygone days, elephants figured very prominently in royal processions, and in battlefields, they carried eminent warriors.
Even in modern India, they are prized for the grandeur they lend to big processions. Because of their great strength and docile nature, elephants are considered very useful, as beasts of burden, and for doing various kinds of work requiring strength.
