Elephants - Pictures

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Elephants - Pictures - Diet

Both species of Elephants are herbivores meaning that they eat only plant matter: grasses, leaves, twigs, flowers, fruits and barks. Asian Elephants consume larger variety of plants including bamboo and various tropical plants. Elephants developed after horses and antelopes, so they had to develop different food habits in order not to compete for food. Twigs and bark is available year round and grows within the Elephants' reach.

The digestive system of both Elephant species is not very effective and these large creatures have to eat large amounts of food, because half of the food remains undigested. Elephants spend about 16 hours per day eating. Herds of Elephants have to move constantly in search for food. Adult Elephants require daily large amounts of food (about 5% of their body weight) and 30-50 gallons of water.

Elephants - Pictures - Caring for the Young

The period of gestation lasts about 22 months in Elephants. Only one calf is born at a time. Elephants are very attentive and females usually adopt orphaned babies. Mothers keep their babies with them for many years, because they have to learn much. Mothers feed the young milk for 4-5 years and wean them when the tusks of the calf disturb her. Weaned young remain in the mother's group for 12-15 years. The average lifespan of Elephants is 60-70 years, so they reach adolescence at the same time as humans do.

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