Elephants Habitat

Aristotle, one of the greatest thinkers on Earth, once said about elephants that, "the beast which passeth all others in wit and mind". Isn't it an apt description of elephants? Elephants are said to be one of the most intelligent species, but sadly there are only three species of living elephants today. They are, the Asian elephant, the African Forest elephant and the African bush elephant. When the word elephant is said, the image that comes in our mind is that of a handsome, tall and strong figure with tusks and trunk. But there were once, shorter species of elephant also, as short as a calf! But they have become extinct now. Because of serious threats of poaching, elephants are declared as a protected species all over the world.

Elephant's Habitat

Elephants are one of those species of animals that can adapt to almost any habitat. Forests, woodlands, grassy plains, savanna, swamps and deserts are some of the ecosystems where they easily survive. Research on elephant history revealed that elephant fossils were found in all continents except for Antarctica and Australia. But now, elephants live mainly in Asia and Africa. In Africa, they are found mainly in the Southern regions. Due to poaching, the number of elephants has decreased alarmingly, largely in West Africa, and in lesser proportions in North and East Africa. Elephants are also found in Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Due to the capturing and taming of elephants, they are found in many other countries also.

Habitat According to Species

African Elephant Habitat
When one says that an elephant is the largest land animal, one refers to the African elephant. Male African elephants grow up to the height of 12 ft to 15 ft and the female African elephants grow up to 9.8 ft tall. They are also heavier, compared to the Asiatic elephants, as African elephants weigh around 3,600 to 4,600 kg.

Though elephants are huge animals, their needs are minimal. All they need is plenty of food and water and a bit of privacy! African elephants live on the savannas and other dry woodlands. They also live in the Sahara desert, where there is scanty vegetation. You can also find African elephants in the grasslands or in dense rainforests, in countries like Congo. The other African countries where elephants are found are, Kenya, Zaire, Zimbabwe and Mauritania.

Asian Elephant Habitat
Asian elephants are smaller in size compared to African elephants. They weigh up to 500 kg and grow between 8 ft to 10 ft. Asian elephants are found in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, dry broadleaf forest as well as tropical deciduous forest, grasslands, mountains, tropical savanna and tropical rainforests. The Asian countries like Nepal, Burma, Thailand, India etc, which have the above ecosystems are lucky to be the homes of these elephants.

Elephant Migration

All the species of elephants migrate every year but in different seasons. African elephants are said to migrate between the months of June to November, which is the dry season. They return to their original homes when the monsoons start. The Asian elephants migrate during the monsoon seasons. They follow the same migration routes every year and it is the responsibility of the eldest elephant or the alpha male to remember the migration route. All species of elephants generally migrate in groups and it is very rare for them to travel individually. If there is a scarcity of food or water, large groups of elephants split in two groups. Now that you must have gotten an answer to the question, what is an elephant's habitat like, let's see what the elephant's diet is like.

Elephant Diet

As we all know, elephants are herbivores. The diet of the African elephant is similar to the diet of the Asian elephant. Asian elephants feed on bamboo as it is found abundantly, while the African elephants generally feed on fruits and shrubs. Talking about how much they can eat, well, elephants eat about 149 to 169 kg of food daily. Besides fruits and leaves, elephants can also consume tree barks, bushes, roots, grass and small plants. Tree bark is their favorite food and it is also beneficial to them as it contains calcium and roughage. Elephants need about 18 to 26 gallons of water daily. But this amount can differ, as an adult elephant can drink up to 55 gallons of water in a day, and that too in less than five minutes! For minerals and salt, elephants dig the ground or lick the wall of caverns.

These animals, with the largest brains, have become an endangered species, and the major reasons are poaching as well as the loss of their habitat. So it is now our responsibility to maintain their homes, if we want to save them.