The largest land mammal in the world

If the blue whale is considered the world's largest animal in the ocean , then probably everyone knows the largest land mammal. This, of course, is an elephant. In the world live only two kinds of these animals:

• African;
• Indian, or Asian.

Indian elephants have a rich pedigree, because they come from different ancestors. This is the reason for their difference from each other. In addition, Indian elephants are much easier than African elephants. For comparison: the first weigh an average of about 6 tons, and the second - about eight. These giants live to 70 years.

What is the difference between an Indian elephant and an African elephant?

• As already mentioned above, Asian elephants are slightly lighter than their African "colleagues", which makes them the unconditional leaders on land.
• In African elephants, the back is slightly bent, while in the Indian elephants it is slightly humpbacked.
• The brightest distinguishing feature of Asian elephants is the high and convex forehead. At their African counterparts, on the contrary, the forehead is flat, even slightly cut back.
• The ears of an Indian elephant are noticeably smaller than the ears of an African elephant and have a triangular shape.
• In African elephants, the trunk at its end has two flexible processes, while the Asian ones have one.

It should be remembered: these animals are intelligent, but dangerous!

Elephants are capable of compassion and mutual help. But even so, both Indian and African elephants are recognized as one of the most dangerous animals in the world. It should be noted that both of them are listed in the International Red Book as animals that are on the verge of extinction. So, let's take a closer look at the largest land mammal in the world.

African elephant

The genus of African elephants includes two modern species:

• forest;
• Savannah.

In height, African elephants can reach 4 meters and weigh up to 12 tons. The length of their massive body is more than 7 meters. Female African elephants, of course, smaller in size: they grow up to only 2.6 meters in height and up to 6.5 meters in length.

Despite its giant size, the largest land mammal moves at a speed of 40 km / h. Just think! This hulking giant is very capable of overtaking a person very easily. Every day he needs at least 300 kilograms of plant food. It is understandable: the more massive your body is, the more energy you will spend in the process of vital activity, which means that it needs to be replenished by means of food.

Indian elephant

Which land mammal is the largest animal in the world after the African elephant ? Of course, his Indian brother! As already mentioned, Asian elephants are inferior in size to African elephants. The maximum body weight of adult males reaches 8 tons with an increase of 3.5 meters. Of course, the females are smaller. Their maximum weight varies within 4 tons. Outwardly, the Indian elephant is more downtrodden than the African elephant. He has thick but comparatively short legs.

The tusks of these giants are much smaller than those of African giants. However, they are well developed only in males. Curiously, even among males in India, one can find an elephant without tusks. There they are called Makhna. The speed of movement of these animals does not differ from that of their African counterparts: they are also mobile and develop it up to 40 km / h.

Not long ago, these animals inhabited the vast territory of India and Southeast Asia. However, in the XIX century, people actively began to exterminate Indian elephants. This was necessary in order to grow the famous Ceylon tea: people destroyed elephants and chopped whole jungles under the tea plantations .

The elephant's pride is his trunk!

Do you know which land mammal has the longest tongue? It's a big anteater! Language is the subject of his pride and survival. He works them so cleverly and quickly that his favorite food - the ants - does not have the slightest chance of escaping. If anteaters have an object of pride and sustenance is a long tongue, then elephants have a trunk.

Elephants have a very short neck, so they can not reach the ground. Here they are saved by the trunk! With the help of their long nose, these animals quite cleverly tear off young shoots from tall trees, and also pluck grass on the ground. In addition, the trunk helps the animals cool in the heat: they get water and pour themselves.

The elephant also drinks with its trunk. But he needs him not only for food and water. This is his olfactory organ. With the help of the trunk, the largest land animal in mammals can sense different smells at a distance of three kilometers. The giant explores some unfamiliar places.

In addition, the trunk is a very terrible weapon of self-defense. However, elephants rarely resort to his help in battle, as their impressive size and mighty strength are doing their job! If the animal faces any danger, it immediately turns off its trunk. If an elephant in battle for one reason or another has lost some of the object of his pride, then he is likely to die of starvation.

Is it true that elephants are asleep standing up?

Partly. For example, adult African elephants are really asleep while the young sometimes allow themselves to lie on their side. For a long time it was believed that the habit of sleeping standing is connected with the huge body weight of the animal, but now scientists are inclined to believe that the reason for this lies in the other.

There is an opinion that the largest land mammal on the Earth sleeps standing for fear of overheating. The fact is that the land in the African savannahs for a day very much warms up and at night it just does not have time to cool down. In turn, the massive body of the elephant, elevated high above the ground, is not only blown by a fresh breeze, but also does not get any additional heat unnecessary to the animal.

By the way, it is most difficult for the old males to settle at night, because every year it becomes more difficult for them to keep their impressive head, weighted by large tusks, while weighing. Young elephants are sleeping next to the termite, placing their tusks on them. Some of them just lean on them about the thick branches of African trees. It is worth noting that the Indian fellow African elephant can sleep lying on his stomach.

Why do they die?

Since in the wild the largest land mammal the animal has no equal, then it seems like there should be no enemies. In principle, almost so it is. The exception is man. People hunt adult elephants mainly because of their valuable tusks. The fact is that the huge demand for ivory has coincided with the invention of a man with powerful rifles. Then the whole slaughter began.

On the verge of extinction

For a small period of time a man was destroyed several hundred thousand of these mighty animals. Currently, hunting for elephants is strictly limited, and in some countries and completely banned completely. However, this, of course, does not bother poachers, who still shoot land giants at 15,000 a year. As already mentioned above, both Indian and African elephants are listed in the Red Book.

Do they have enemies other than man?

Of course. Even the largest land mammal has its enemies among other animals. Do you think they are African lions, hyenas or Indian tigers? No! These are land leeches-bloodsuckers. Yes, yes, you heard correctly! Exactly. To eat fresh blood, these creatures suck on the rough skin of the elephant, causing the animal a huge discomfort.

Elephants, in turn, do not slumber too. They figured out how to get rid of those annoying parasites. Zoologists say that watching it is a pleasure: the elephant, with the help of its trunk, takes any stick and scratches it on its rough skin. It is curious that if he can not fight off the parasite himself, another elephant hurries to help him, who, similarly, using his trunk and stick, "gets out of trouble" his fellow.