Elephant fun facts
SizeThe elephant is the largest living land creature: the African elephants reach 13 feet high and weigh 6-8 tons.
An adult elephant’s brain weighs ten pounds.
AgeElephants live 60-70 years.
The older the elephant becomes, the less it lies down since it becomes more difficult for the elephant to get up.
An elephant’s gestation period is 22 months (longest of any land animals), and nursing period is about 5 years.
Natural TalentsElephants (like parrots and dolphins) are capable of mimicry. According to National Geographic, elephants in Tsavo National Park in Kenya were making truck sounds. The herd is raised near a highway.
Trunk
An elephant’s trunk has about 150,000 muscles and no bones: these features make the trunk very flexible.
Elephants can hold 4 gallons or more of water in their trunks at one time.
Besides using its trunk to smell, elephants use it to transport food and water to their mouths.
Indian Elephant with calves
Eating HabbitsElephants drink about 50 gallons and consume 400 lbs. or more of food each day.
Elephants eat about 16 hours a day.
ZZZZZAn elephant sleeps an average of 2 hours during a 24-hour period.
SensesElephants have poor eyesight.
Elephants cannot see clearly after a distance of more than 60 feet.
Elephants have great sense of smell and of hearing
Elephants have their nostrils at the end of their trunk. They use the trunk to pick up smells.
An elephant's ear is about 5 feet long.
An adult elephant’s brain weighs ten pounds.
AgeElephants live 60-70 years.
The older the elephant becomes, the less it lies down since it becomes more difficult for the elephant to get up.
An elephant’s gestation period is 22 months (longest of any land animals), and nursing period is about 5 years.
Natural TalentsElephants (like parrots and dolphins) are capable of mimicry. According to National Geographic, elephants in Tsavo National Park in Kenya were making truck sounds. The herd is raised near a highway.
Trunk
An elephant’s trunk has about 150,000 muscles and no bones: these features make the trunk very flexible.
Elephants can hold 4 gallons or more of water in their trunks at one time.
Besides using its trunk to smell, elephants use it to transport food and water to their mouths.
Indian Elephant with calves
Eating HabbitsElephants drink about 50 gallons and consume 400 lbs. or more of food each day.
Elephants eat about 16 hours a day.
ZZZZZAn elephant sleeps an average of 2 hours during a 24-hour period.
SensesElephants have poor eyesight.
Elephants cannot see clearly after a distance of more than 60 feet.
Elephants have great sense of smell and of hearing
Elephants have their nostrils at the end of their trunk. They use the trunk to pick up smells.
An elephant's ear is about 5 feet long.