{"id":1350,"date":"2021-01-25T10:38:06","date_gmt":"2021-01-25T10:38:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/?p=1350"},"modified":"2024-02-18T15:49:32","modified_gmt":"2024-02-18T15:49:32","slug":"elephant-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/elephant-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"52 Most Fascinating Elephant Facts (2024 UPDATE)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did you know that these majestic animals have no real predators in the wild? Sadly, elephant facts reveal that people are the only real danger to these animals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number of elephants left in the wild is diminishing. We must put a stop to poaching once and for all! <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep on scrolling to find out more interesting facts about these majestic animals!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='top-10-facts-about-elephants'><b>Top 10 Facts About Elephants<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An adult elephant <a href=\"#needs to eat up to 330lbs\">needs to eat up to 330lbs<\/a> of food every day.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An elephant\u2019s eyesight has a <a href=\"#range of only 25ft\">range of only 25ft<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephant trunks can <a href=\"#lift up as much as 770lbs\">lift up as much as 770lbs<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants\u2019 romantic <a href=\"#relationships last forever\">relationships last forever<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An elephant <a href=\"#pregnancy lasts for 22 months\">pregnancy lasts for 22 months<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Baby elephants <a href=\"#weigh 250lbs at birth\">weigh 250lbs at birth<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An elephant\u2019s <a href=\"#tail can be up to 4.2ft long\">tail can be up to 4.2ft long<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are approximately <a href=\"#30 white elephants left\">30 white elephants left<\/a> in the world.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Approximately <a href=\"#99% of elephants are born at night\">99% of elephants are born at night<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than <a href=\"#100,000 African elephants have been killed\">100,000 African elephants have been killed<\/a> in just three years.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If these quick facts got you interested, keep reading to learn more fascinating facts and stats about the Earth\u2019s biggest land mammal!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='interesting-facts-about-elephants'><b>Interesting Facts About Elephants<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re sure that all elephant fans know the most common facts about these mammals. But, here are some of the most interesting ones we bet you didn\u2019t know.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='1-there-are-three-distinct-elephant-species-%e2%80%94-the-african-savanna-elephant-the-african-forest-elephant-and-the-asian-elephant'><b>1. There are three distinct elephant species \u2014 the African Savanna elephant, the African Forest Elephant, and the Asian elephant.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(National Geographic Kids)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facts on elephants reveal they&#8217;re renowned for their tusks, big ears, and trunks. Moreover, there\u2019s actually a neat trick to differentiate the African and Asian Elephants \u2014 their famous ears!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The African elephant has big ears, shaped much like the African continent. Whereas the Asian elephant\u2019s ears are much smaller and shaped like India, as well-known elephants\u2019 ears facts reveal.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='2-an-adult-elephant-needs-to-eat-up-to-330lbs-of-food-every-day'><b>2. An adult elephant needs to eat up to 330lbs of food every day.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Discover Wildlife)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What do elephants eat? Elephants are herbivores; meaning, their diet consists primarily of plants. They often eat grass, leaves, flowers, and even woody parts of trees and shrubs, including fruit when it\u2019s available. They also dig for roots after rain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And just how much does an elephant eat a day? A whopping 330lbs of food! The Asian elephant eats more than 100 species of plants. And both the African and Asian elephants eat crops such as millet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='3-elephant-fun-facts-reveal-that-an-average-adult-elephant-makes-about-one-ton-of-poop-every-week'><b>3. Elephant fun facts reveal that an average adult elephant makes about one ton of poop every week.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(National Geographic Kids)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since elephants spend somewhere between 12 and 18 hours a day eating, there has to be an awful lot of poop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, elephant poop facts reveal this is extremely useful since it fertilizes the soil and disperses tree seeds. Also, elephants dig water holes and make footpaths, changing the very landscape around them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='4-according-to-elephant-feet-facts-an-elephant%e2%80%99s-foot-is-about-half-its-shoulder-width'><b>4. According to elephant feet facts, an elephant\u2019s foot is about half its shoulder width.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(A-Z Animals)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is how scientists determine the size of an elephant merely by measuring the size of its footprint.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s more, elephant feet have five toes. Yet, not all their toes have toenails. The toes are formed so that when an elephant walks, they are actually walking on their tiptoes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='5-about-50-of-asian-female-elephants-have-short-tusks-tushes-according-to-elephant-tusks-facts'><b>5. About 50% of Asian female elephants have short tusks (tushes), according to elephant tusks facts.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(EleAid)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another main difference between the Asian and African elephants is their tusks. All African elephants have tusks, both male and female. On the contrary, only some Asian elephants have them, and females have \u201ctushes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basically, elephants\u2019 tusks are elongated teeth, which never stop growing. Elephants use their tusks primarily for self-defense, to dig, and lift and move heavy objects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='6-besides-tusks-elephants-also-have-4-molars-teeth'><b>6. Besides tusks, elephants also have 4 molars (teeth).<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(International Elephant Foundation)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the fun facts about elephants state, there is one molar in each jaw.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An African elephant usually goes through six sets of molars during its lifetime. Each molar can grow between 10 and 12 inches and can weigh over 8lbs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The final set of molars form when the elephant is in their forties, and it lasts them till the end of their lifetime.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='7-an-elephant%e2%80%99s-eyesight-has-a-range-of-only-25ft'><b>7. An elephant\u2019s eyesight has a range of only 25ft.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(EleAid)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the interesting elephant facts, the animal has relatively poor eyesight, and its eyes are incredibly small. The reason for this is the position and size of their head and neck.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to this, elephants also have limited peripheral vision. Their eyesight improves slightly in the forest shade.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='8-elephant-trunks-can-lift-up-as-much-as-770lbs'><b>8. Elephant trunks can lift up as much as 770lbs.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(RealClearScience)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An elephant\u2019s trunk is actually a fusion of its upper lip and nose. They use it to touch, smell, breathe, grasp, and make sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephant trunk facts reveal that the trunk has no bones. It actually consists of more than 40,000 muscles divided into 150,000 individual units. For comparison, the entire human body has only 639 muscles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides all of these functions, the elephant\u2019s trunk also serves as a snorkel. All the elephant has to do is keep their trunk above water, and they can cross any body of water they want.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='9-elephant-memory-facts-reveal-that-elephants-can-recognize-up-to-30-companions-by-either-smell-or-sight'><b>9. Elephant memory facts reveal that elephants can recognize up to 30 companions by either smell or sight.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(TED-Ed)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their memory is astonishing. They remember each member of their herd, yet their memory is not limited to just their herd or species.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/circus-animals\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">circus elephants who have performed together<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and have recognized each other after decades of separation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, elephants can also recognize people they have bonded with, even though they may have been separated for years, as some elephant facts claim.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='10-elephants-are-exceptionally-intelligent-animals'><b>10. Elephants are exceptionally intelligent animals.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Mental Floss)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their overall behavior is proof of this. For example, the African elephant can distinguish between people\u2019s age, gender, and ethnicity solely based on the sound of their voice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, besides identifying languages, elephants can also understand the human body language. They can also mimic people\u2019s voices, show empathy, and mourn their dead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to all this, elephant intelligence facts also show that they can use various tools to reach fruit or use sticks for scratching themselves (just like in the cartoons).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='11-an-elephant%e2%80%99s-tail-can-be-up-to-4-2ft-long'><b>11. An elephant\u2019s tail can be up to 4.2ft long.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(EleAid)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants have great control over the movement of their tails. They usually use them as fly swats against various insects. Besides being quite long, the elephant\u2019s tail is also tipped by extremely coarse hair that looks like wires.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='facts-about-elephants-and-their-family'><b>Facts About Elephants and Their Family<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As if elephants weren\u2019t sweet enough, these facts will melt your heart and make you love them even more.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='12-an-elephant-family-typically-consists-of-6-to-12-members-but-it-can-count-up-to-20-members'><b>12. An elephant family typically consists of 6 to 12 members, but it can count up to 20 members.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Elephants Forever)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A very important elephant fact \u2014 herds have a matriarchal head, and they usually consist of 3 or 4 female elephants (the matriarch\u2019s daughters) and their calves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The females help each other while giving birth, and they also keep an eye on each other\u2019s calves. When the matriarch dies, one of her daughters (usually the eldest) replaces her.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='13-elephants%e2%80%99-romantic-relationships-last-forever'><b>13. Elephants\u2019 romantic relationships last forever.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(TravelStart)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the sweetest elephant facts about love is that they\u2019re incredibly romantic creatures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants are highly social and bond fairly quickly. They touch each other, cuddle, and intertwine their trunks, just like people hold hands, which is the ultimate sign of love between them. Usually, their relationships last for a lifetime.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='14-an-elephant-pregnancy-lasts-for-22-months'><b>14. An elephant pregnancy lasts for 22 months.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(AAAS, ElephantFacts)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants are enormous in every way. Besides being the largest land animal, they also have the longest gestation period among all mammals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As elephant pregnancy facts state, the gestation period can last anywhere between 620 and 680 days, which adds up to almost two years. Typically, the intervals between two pregnancies vary between 4 and 6 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='15-approximately-99-of-elephants-are-born-at-night'><b>15. Approximately 99% of elephants are born at night.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(ThoughtCo.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Baby elephants are called calves, and they usually stay close to their mothers for the first couple of months after they\u2019re born.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Baby elephants suck their trunks just like human babies suck thumbs, as baby elephant facts explain. When they reach 6 to 8 months, the calves learn to use their trunks to eat and drink.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='16-baby-elephants-weigh-250lbs-at-birth'><b>16. Baby elephants weigh 250lbs at birth.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(ThoughtCo.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are also approximately 3ft tall and have curly black or red hair on their foreheads. Elephant calves drink milk from their mother for up to ten years after being born, drinking up to 3 gallons of milk every day, as elephant birth facts claim.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Female elephants stay with their herd for the entirety of their lives, whereas male elephants start a solitary life between 12 and 14.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='17-baby-elephants-start-walking-just-minutes-after-being-born'><b>17. Baby elephants start walking just minutes after being born.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Elephants for Africa)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reason for this is that they must stand to be able to drink their mother\u2019s milk, or they\u2019ll perish. They also follow their mothers and observe their behavior to adapt to their new surroundings.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='african-elephant-facts'><b>African Elephant Facts<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Asian elephant is the largest of all elephant species. Did you know it can weigh up to 8 tons?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to know what is unique about African elephants? Here\u2019s more interesting info on the subspecies.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='18-the-largest-ever-recorded-elephant-was-an-african-male-weighing-24000lbs'><b>18. The largest ever recorded elephant was an African male, weighing 24,000lbs.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Global Sanctuary for Elephants)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was also 13ft tall, at the shoulder. For comparison, an average car weighs approximately 4,000lbs, and an average one-story home is about 8ft tall. African elephants live on the majority of the African continent, south of the Sahara desert.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='19-african-elephant%e2%80%99s-brain-weighs-5-4kg-9-9lbs'><b>19. African elephant\u2019s brain weighs 5.4kg (9.9lbs).<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(United for Wildlife)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most fascinating elephant facts is the size of their brain. We\u2019ve already noted that nothing about this animal species is small. So it comes as no surprise that the largest land animal on Earth also has the largest brain of all land animals.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='20-there-are-roughly-415000-african-elephants-left-in-the-wild'><b>20. There are roughly 415,000 African elephants left in the wild.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(WWF)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The data on elephant population by-country reveals that African elephants wander through 37 African countries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their natural habitat includes flooded grasslands and savannahs, tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, Acacia savannahs, and Miombo woodlands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The African elephant population is relatively small, yet their official status is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vulnerable<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and not <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">endangered<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='21-there-are-two-african-elephant-species-%e2%80%94-the-african-forest-elephant-and-the-african-savanna-bush-elephant'><b>21. There are two African elephant species \u2014 the African Forest elephant and the African Savanna (Bush) elephant.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(National Geographic)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a reasonably long time, scientists thought that these two species were merely subspecies of the African elephant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, DNA analysis has revealed that these two are actually two different species.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s more, the two species have evolved from a common ancestor, as African Bush elephant facts show. It occurred somewhere between 2.5 million and 5 million years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='22-african-savanna-elephants-are-the-larger-species-%e2%80%94-they-grow-up-to-13ft-and-weigh-up-to-7-tons'><b>22. African Savanna elephants are the larger species \u2014 they grow up to 13ft and weigh up to 7 tons.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(WWF)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Savanna elephants are renowned for their enormous ears. They help the elephants radiate excess heat. Another distinctive feature is their front legs that are relatively longer than their hind legs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the data on the African elephant population, the species lives in the southern and eastern regions of the continent. This particular species lives predominantly in Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya, South Africa, and Mozambique.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='23-the-african-forest-elephant-is-the-smaller-species-growing-up-to-%e2%80%9cjust%e2%80%9d-10ft-and-weighing-up-to-5-tons'><b>23. The African Forest Elephant is the smaller species, growing up to \u201cjust\u201d 10ft and weighing up to 5 tons.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(WWF)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their ears are not as big as the African Savanna elephants\u2019 and are also oval-shaped. Their tusks are also straighter and pointed downwards. They live in dense tropical forests, so their exact numbers can\u2019t be counted as precisely or as efficiently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">African Forest elephant facts state that they usually live in dense forests of:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Democratic Republic of Congo<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gabon, Cameroon<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Central African Republic<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ghana, and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Liberia.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id='24-african-forest-elephants-reach-reproductive-maturity-at-the-age-of-23'><b>24. African Forest elephants reach reproductive maturity at the age of 23.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(AWF)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They have the slowest reproductive rate of all three species.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Considering the two-year gestation period, any population decline caused by either poaching, bushmeat trade, logging operations, or natural resource extraction could be fatal for the species.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='asian-elephants-facts'><b>Asian Elephants Facts<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though it\u2019s much smaller than its African cousin, the Asian elephant is still the largest mammal on the Asian continent.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='25-the-asian-elephant-can-grow-up-to-9-8ft-and-weigh-up-to-5-5-tons'><b>25. The Asian elephant can grow up to 9.8ft and weigh up to 5.5 tons.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(National Geographic)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facts about Asian elephants show that Asian elephants are relatively smaller than their African counterparts, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/endangered-species-statistics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they\u2019re classified as endangered species<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Illegal ivory trade and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/deforestation-statistics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">habitat loss due to deforestation and agricultural development<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are two main threats to the Asian elephant population.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='26-there-are-three-subspecies-of-the-asian-elephant-%e2%80%94-the-indian-elephant-the-sumatran-elephant-and-the-sri-lankan-elephant'><b>26. There are three subspecies of the Asian elephant \u2014 the Indian elephant, the Sumatran elephant, and the Sri Lankan elephant.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(WWF)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian elephant facts state that this subspecies makes up for the majority of the remaining Asian elephants.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Sri Lankan elephant is physically the largest of the three subspecies and has the darkest skin. On the contrary, the Sumatran elephant is the smallest of the three.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='27-only-7-of-male-thailand-elephants-have-tusks'><b>27. Only 7% of male Thailand elephants have tusks.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(BLES)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The females have tushes, as previously mentioned. The whole species has only one trunk finger, which they use to pick up and move objects, as the Thailand elephants&#8217; facts state.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their ears are also much smaller than those of their African cousins, and their skin is smoother.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='28-thailand-had-approximately-20000-elephants-trained-for-war-back-in-the-17th-century'><b>28. Thailand had approximately 20,000 elephants trained for war back in the 17th century.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Culture Trip)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The elephant is a royal symbol in Thailand, and the Thai Royal Family has kept them for thousands of years. Besides taking part in ceremonies and festivals held in their honor, they were also used as war animals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Amazing facts about elephants reveal that their strength, size, power, and longevity, made them the perfect weapon, as well as shields, in battle.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='29-there-are-between-2400-and-2800-sumatran-elephants-left-in-the-wild'><b>29. There are between 2,400 and 2,800 Sumatran elephants left in the wild.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(WWF, OneKindPlanet)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The smallest of the subspecies, but the biggest mammal on the Sumatran island, is critically endangered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually, these elephants love to roam the forests of Sumatra and Borneo. They can even climb up to 300 meters uphill, as Sumatran elephant facts reveal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of their size, Sumatran elephants have practically no predators. Although, sometimes, tigers tend to prey on baby Sumatran elephants.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='30-less-than-8-2ft-tall-the-borneo-pygmy-elephant-is-the-smallest-in-the-world'><b>30. Less than 8.2ft tall, the Borneo pygmy elephant is the smallest in the world.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Natural Habitat Adventures)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019re a part of the Sumatran elephant subspecies derived from the Sundaic stock some 300,000 years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The primary threat to these elephants is habitat loss. The Borneo pygmy elephant facts reveal that there are approximately 1,500 of these elephants left in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, 20% of the subspecies are hurt by illegal snares set to catch smaller animals.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='31-there-are-less-than-4000-sri-lankan-elephants-left-in-the-world'><b>31. There are less than 4,000 Sri Lankan elephants left in the world.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Animalia)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The largest of the three Asian elephant subspecies is also highly endangered. There are between 2,500 and 4,000 Sri Lankan elephants left in the wild.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the Sri Lankan elephant&#8217;s facts, the subspecies were spread across Sri Lankan forests. They\u2019re now facing habitat loss due to rapid deforestation and urbanization.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='32-there-are-only-30-white-elephants-left-in-the-world'><b>32. There are only 30 white elephants left in the world.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Travel Triangle, USA Today)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thailand is known as the \u201cLand of White Elephants.\u201d For centuries, these majestic creatures were viewed as a sign of the king\u2019s magnificence. These scarce albino elephants aren\u2019t actually white but rather pinkish in color.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">White elephant numbers have always been low, but the species is alarmingly close to extinction. Royals used to pamper them, and many people believed that they brought good luck to the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='33-elephants-can-live-up-to-70-years-in-the-wild'><b>33. Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Mom.me)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephant figures reveal that the African elephant lives a bit longer than the Asian and has a median lifespan of 56 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, their Asian cousins have a median lifespan of just 41.7 years. Poaching, illegal hunting for ivory, deforestation, and urbanization are shortening their lifespans.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='34-elephants-in-the-elefanjoy-sanctuary-were-seriously-affected-by-the-covid-19-pandemic'><b>34. Elephants in the Elefanjoy sanctuary were seriously affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(The Guardian)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the pandemic hit, many countries, including India, went into a strict lockdown. The worldwide elephant population was affected, but elephants of the Elefanjoy sanctuary in Jaipur, India, were hit hard.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They couldn\u2019t take their daily 30-mile walks, which are essential for stretching their legs and digestion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, the elephants could sense their caretakers\u2019 and other animals\u2019 gloomy moods, so they also fell into depression. This shows just how sensitive these giants are.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='elephant-poaching-statistics'><b>Elephant Poaching Statistics<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the 1989 ban on international ivory sales, elephants are still being hunted down and poached for their tusks. Black market sales have increased exponentially.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a result, their numbers are reducing, as the elephant poaching statistics from 2020 show.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='35-elephant-poaching-rates-had-decreased-from-more-than-10-in-2011-to-4-in-2017'><b>35. Elephant poaching rates had decreased from more than 10% in 2011 to 4% in 2017.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(ScienceDaily)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephant poaching facts reveal that<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/poaching-statistics\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the poaching rates peaked in 2011<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Even though they\u2019re currently pretty low, the species are still endangered (the Asian elephant in particular) or on the verge of becoming endangered (the African elephant).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='36-over-the-last-decade-the-number-of-elephants-has-dropped-by-62'><b>36. Over the last decade, the number of elephants has dropped by 62%.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(World Elephant Day)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the killing rates continue, elephant poaching statistics for 2022 show that elephants could become completely extinct by the end of the next decade.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants are being hunted and poached for their ivory, whose price in China has tripled from 2010 to 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='37-361-elephants-died-in-sri-lanka-in-2019'><b>37. 361 elephants died in Sri Lanka in 2019.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(BBC)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a record number ever since Sri Lanka became independent in 1948. Unfortunately, the majority of these elephants were killed by people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But according to the elephant poaching statistics from 2019, there are still approximately 7,500 elephants in Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='38-more-than-100000-african-elephants-have-been-killed-in-just-three-years'><b>38. More than 100,000 African elephants have been killed in just three years.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(National Geographic)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The data on the elephant population from 2020 reveals that just in 2011, 1 in every 12 elephants was killed by poachers. Researchers estimate that every year 3% of the total population of elephants was poached.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants are a crucial species since they help balance out other species in the ecosystem. Losing them would be horrific.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='39-elephant-poaching-statistics-from-2019-show-approximately-415000-african-elephants-were-left-in-the-wild'><b>39. Elephant poaching statistics from 2019 show approximately 415,000 African elephants were left in the wild.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(WWF)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some pockets of African elephants are safe from poachers and are currently expanding, particularly those in southern Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the number of elephants in central and some parts of east Africa is dramatically low. There are barely over 400,000 elephants left, and the species is incredibly vulnerable.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='40-there-are-only-40000%e2%80%9350000-asian-elephants-left-in-the-world'><b>40. There are only 40,000\u201350,000 Asian elephants left in the world.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(WWF)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephant poaching statistics reveal that the number of Asian elephants has dropped by more than 50% throughout the past three generations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One common thing for both the Asian and African elephants is that their numbers have dropped significantly during the 19th and 20th centuries, mainly due to poaching.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='faq'><b>FAQ<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3 id='41-how-many-elephants-are-born-each-year'><b>41. How many elephants are born each year?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More elephants are killed than born at the moment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s no surprise that their rate of birth is so low. They give birth to only one calf at a time \u2014 twins are possible but extremely rare. Furthermore, their gestation period is around two years, and there\u2019s also a 4\u20136-year gap between pregnancies.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='42-how-many-elephants-are-killed-each-day'><b>42. How many elephants are killed each day?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s estimated that around 100 African elephants are killed every day for their ivory, meat, and body parts, leaving barely 400,000 of them on the planet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='43-how-many-more-elephants-are-left'><b>43. How many more elephants are left?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were predictions that by 2020 elephants would be extinct. Still, there are currently about 465,000 elephants in the Asian and African wilds.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='44-how-many-elephants-are-killed-each-year'><b>44. How many elephants are killed each year?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, the data shows that about 20,000 African elephants are being killed every year.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='45-what-percentage-of-african-elephants-are-killed-each-year'><b>45. What percentage of African elephants are killed each year?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the last decade, more than 64% of African elephants have been killed. It\u2019s estimated that every year 8% of African Savanna elephants are killed, and 1 in 12 elephants of the entire species.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='46-how-smart-is-an-elephant'><b>46. How smart is an elephant?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants are impressively smart. They have been using objects from their vicinity to swat insects, reach food, or scratch themselves. They are also known for mourning their dead, distinguishing different languages, and remembering people.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='47-why-are-elephants-so-amazing'><b>47. Why are elephants so amazing?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They plant trees, fight climate change (in their own way), and support other species by fertilizing the land and digging waterholes.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='48-why-are-elephants-so-special'><b>48. Why are elephants so special?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides being incredibly intelligent and emotional creatures, elephants help the ecosystem and maintain biodiversity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='49-what-are-elephants-scared-of'><b>49. What are elephants scared of?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s a cartoon myth that elephants are afraid of mice. They are actually scared of bees because <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/bee-facts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">African honey bees are known to be extremely aggressive<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='50-are-elephants-dangerous-to-humans'><b>50. Are elephants dangerous to humans?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally, elephants aren\u2019t dangerous. However, when male elephants reach their reproductive age (musth), they are extremely dangerous to both people and animals due to their reproductive hormones.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='51-are-elephants-endangered'><b>51. Are elephants endangered?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the African elephant as vulnerable. In contrast, the Asian elephant is an endangered species.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='52-what-are-elephant-tusks-used-for'><b>52. What are elephant tusks used for?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants use their tusks for defense, offense, digging, lifting heavy objects, gathering food, or stripping tree barks so they could eat from trees, and they also protect the trunk.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id='conclusion'><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We hope that this long list of elephant facts has shown you what majestic creatures they are and why we should try to protect them as much as we can.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We must raise awareness and put an end to poaching and the illegal ivory trade. Perhaps then, this amazing species\u2019 population can increase in numbers and stop itself from becoming extinct.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id='sources'><b>Sources<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencemag.org\/news\/2012\/06\/elephant-womb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AAAS<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/animalia.bio\/sri-lankan-elephant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Animalia<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.awf.org\/wildlife-conservation\/forest-elephant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AWF<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/animals\/elephant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A-Z Animals<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-51076898\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BBC<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blesele.org\/elephant-facts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BLES<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theculturetrip.com\/asia\/thailand\/articles\/elephant-11-facts-about-thailands-national-animal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Culture Trip<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/facts-about-elephants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Discover Wildlife<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eleaid.com\/elephant-information\/elephant-facts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EleAid<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eleaid.com\/elephant-information\/elephant-tusks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EleAid<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/elephantfacts.net\/elephant-gestation.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ElephantFacts<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.elephantsforafrica.org\/elephant-facts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants for Africa<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.elephantsforever.co.za\/family-structure.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elephants Forever<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/globalelephants.org\/the-basics\/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAv8PyBRDMARIsAFo4wK3qJjpJnuUj-tDhfPkGQONOEqIZX-xoq5g811YHp4OfEyT_zhCTCloaAmEpEALw_wcB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Global Sanctuary for Elephants<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/elephantconservation.org\/elephants\/just-for-kids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">International Elephant Foundation<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalfloss.com\/article\/55640\/7-behaviors-prove-elephants-are-incredibly-smart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mental Floss<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/animals.mom.me\/life-span-elephants-2233.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mom.me<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/news\/2010\/12\/101222-african-elephants-two-species-new-science\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Geographic<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/animals\/mammals\/a\/asian-elephant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Geographic<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/news\/2014\/8\/140818-elephants-africa-poaching-cites-census\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Geographic<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.natgeokids.com\/uk\/discover\/animals\/general-animals\/elephant-facts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Geographic Kids<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nathab.com\/know-before-you-go\/asia-the-pacific\/borneo\/wildlife-guide\/borneo-pygmy-elephant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Natural Habitat Adventures<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/onekindplanet.org\/animal\/elephant-sumatran\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OneKindPlanet<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearscience.com\/blog\/2013\/10\/the-most-amazing-appendage-in-the-world.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RealClearScience<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2019\/05\/190528120331.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ScienceDaily<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.ed.ted.com\/2015\/08\/11\/12-amazing-facts-about-elephants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TED-Ed<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2020\/dec\/31\/how-covid-has-plunged-asias-captive-elephants-into-fresh-crisis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Guardian<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thoughtco.com\/facts-about-elephant-babies-1829282\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ThoughtCo.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.travelstart.co.ke\/blog\/10-amazing-facts-about-elephants-that-will-make-you-love-them-more\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TravelStart<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/traveltriangle.com\/blog\/thailand-travel-land-of-white-elephants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Travel Triangle<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitedforwildlife.org\/10-amazing-elephant-facts-need-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">United for Wildlife<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/world\/2015\/03\/01\/burma-rare-white-elephant\/24215533\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">USA Today<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/worldelephantday.org\/about\/elephants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">World Elephant Day<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/species\/african-elephant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WWF<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/species\/savanna-elephant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WWF<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/species\/forest-elephant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WWF<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wwf.panda.org\/knowledge_hub\/endangered_species\/elephants\/asian_elephants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WWF<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wwf.panda.org\/knowledge_hub\/endangered_species\/elephants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WWF<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/species\/sumatran-elephant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WWF<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many elephants are born each year?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"More elephants are killed than born at the moment.\\n\\nIt\u2019s no surprise that their rate of birth is so low. They give birth to only one calf at a time \u2014 twins are possible but extremely rare. Furthermore, their gestation period is around two years, and there\u2019s also a 4\u20136-year gap between pregnancies.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many elephants are killed each day?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It\u2019s estimated that around 100 African elephants are killed every day for their ivory, meat, and body parts, leaving barely 400,000 of them on the planet.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many more elephants are left?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"There were predictions that by 2020 elephants would be extinct. Still, there are currently about 465,000 elephants in the Asian and African wilds.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many elephants are killed each year?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Unfortunately, the data shows that about 20,000 African elephants are being killed every year.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What percentage of African elephants are killed each year?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"In the last decade, more than 64% of African elephants have been killed. It\u2019s estimated that every year 8% of African Savanna elephants are killed, and 1 in 12 elephants of the entire species.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How smart is an elephant?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Elephants are impressively smart. They have been using objects from their vicinity to swat insects, reach food, or scratch themselves. They are also known for mourning their dead, distinguishing different languages, and remembering people.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why are elephants so amazing?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"They plant trees, fight climate change (in their own way), and support other species by fertilizing the land and digging waterholes.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why are elephants so special?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Besides being incredibly intelligent and emotional creatures, elephants help the ecosystem and maintain biodiversity.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What are elephants scared of?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It\u2019s a cartoon myth that elephants are afraid of mice. They are actually scared of bees because African honey bees are known to be extremely aggressive.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Are elephants dangerous to humans?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Generally, elephants aren\u2019t dangerous. However, when male elephants reach their reproductive age (musth), they are extremely dangerous to both people and animals due to their reproductive hormones.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Are elephants endangered?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the African elephant as vulnerable. In contrast, the Asian elephant is an endangered species.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What are elephant tusks used for?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Elephants use their tusks for defense, offense, digging, lifting heavy objects, gathering food, or stripping tree barks so they could eat from trees, and they also protect the trunk.\"}}]}<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn fascinating elephant facts and what is being done in 2022 to protect these majestic animals. All you need to know gathered in one place! [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/elephant-facts\/\">Read More&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> from 52 Most Fascinating Elephant Facts (2024 UPDATE)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":6655,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-stats-and-facts"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1350\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}