- cannot jump
- walk on their toes
- produce 120kg of manure a day
- purr like cats but really loudly. It sounds almost like a lion growling
- can give birth until they are 50
- are pregnant for 22 months
- are afraid of bees
- have four molars– two on top and two on bottom. Each molar weighs around 2.5kg and is the size of a brick. They can only grow 6 sets of molars over their lifetimes. When the last set is lost, the animal is unable to eat and eventually dies.
- have bad eyesight
- grieve, and show compassion
- have feet that spread out under their weight but shrink when lifted
- African elephants have no necks because their entire head can weigh over 400kg – hence the truck to enable them to reach both downwards and upwards. (Asian elephants do have necks, though they are short and thick due to the size of their head.)
- The skull and jaw can weigh 180kg
- The trunk can be 110kg
- The ears can weight 44kg
- The tongue can weigh 14kg
- The brain is up to 6.5kg
- have four front-facing knees
- used to be classified as pachyderms and lumped with the rhino and hippopotamus. Scientists now place them in their own order, the proboscidea, along with the extinct mammoths. There are three species of elephant living today: the African Bush elephant, African Forest elephant and the Asian elephant.
All photos taken by my sister, Christine Westraadt during our trip to Addo elephant park.
I WANT TO HEAR THE PURRING!!!!!
I have a rather funny story about that. In July 2018 I was with my family at Addo Elephant park. There are viewing points in the park where you can get out to look at the watering holes where elephants gather. There are signs saying ‘Beware of Lions’ dotted around these viewing points because there are lion in the park as well, and all the animals roam free.
I walked over to take a photograph of one of these Beware of Lions signs. I was very jumpy because…lions…and as I took the photograph, I heard this deep rumbling in the bush. It sounded like a deep growl. I seldom run, but my feet were just about touching my back as I sprinted across the parking section, much to the great amusement of my family. Turns out that is the purring noise elephants make. It does actually sound like purring when you think of it. Here is a video example . Watching it, I can understand why I ran. Not gonna lie – I was terrified.
21:45 and in bed. Couldn’t wait to play that. Nearly gave my husband a coronary 😂😂😂
I am so glad he also felt that. I was terrified! This is the photograph I was taking as I heard that sound, so I was already on edge!