Asiatic Elephant (Elephas maximus): The largest
and tallest of all Indian animals - literally the lumbering giant of the Indian
jungle. Extremely social in its habits.
Continuous encroachment of its forested home and poaching for its tusks has
brought down its population to an alarming level.
The Asian elephant is one of the largest land mammals on Earth. The trunk of
the Asian elephant has two finger-like structures at its tip that allow the
animal to perform both delicate and powerful movements.
Elephants have long, coarse hairs sparsely covering their body. Their skin is
brown to dark gray. They have been very important to Asian culture for thousands
of years - they have been domesticated and are used for transportation and to
move heavy objects.
Nothing can compare the majestic build up of an elephant and when you ride on
when, it feels like you've gone back to the times of the royal.
Elephants always catch the attention of every onlooker, but just like Tigers
and Lions this animal has also come under threat of extinction.
Behavior
Elephants live in a matriarchal family group of related females called a herd.
They are led by the oldest and often largest female in the herd. Herds consist
of eight to 100 individuals.
Males may be associated with a herd, solitary or may live temporarily with other
males. Elephants produce a variety of sounds including low frequency calls,
high pitched calls and loud trumpeting.