Indian Elephant
The Asian elephant is one of three species in the order Proboscidea, the others
being the Savanna elephant and the Forest elephant.
The Indian elephant ( Elephas maximus indicus) is much large and taller than the two other sub species of Asia. There are about ten thousand wild elephants in India but the number is going down due to habitat protection. The animal has one lip and the back is convex.
Indian elephant can reach a height of 11 feet and can weigh up to five thousand kg. They are the largest surviving mammals on Earth and are found in Asia and Africa. They can be tamed in performing various type of chores which is difficult incase of their African cousin.
There is a significant morphological difference between Indian and African Elephants. Indian elephants have broader skull but smaller flaps. Their trunk is one lipped and larger. The trunk is multipurpose and assists in drinking, eating, and smelling. The means of communication among the animals is vocal as well as infrasonic communication as noted ny M. Krishnan.
The pachyderm is by habit a seasonal migratory species which is due to search for food and water. It survives of vegetative matter, grass, plantain, bamboo and tree barks. The herds number anywhere from few elephants to forty heads lead by an old female as they are by nature matriarchal society.
The females reach breeding maturity after about fifteen months or earlier. The makes can be extremely aggressive when in musth. This is the time when the testosterone level us the highest in their bodies. In quest of a female in estrus a violent tussle can take place between two males. The female give birth to one calf after gestation period of eighteen to twenty months and takes full care of it for up to five years. The herd assists the young calf during its growth and absorption in the herd.
Habitat is distributed in tall grasslands called elephant grass, evergreen forest, semi-evergreen forests, tropical moist deciduous forests, tropical dry deciduous forests and dry thorn forests. Hence they are found in Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats in Annamalai Hills in large numbers. They are also found in various parts of South India - Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu - East India, West Bengal, Orissa and North India - Himalayas & Terai.
The best place to see the creatures in the wild are Periyar, Corbett, Kaziranga and many other reserves. There are many package tours available with us to visit the elephant reserves in India. Contact us for more information and prices.
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