When taking hold of something, an African elephant uses the lips at the end of its trunk, whereas an Indian elephant rolls its trunk around the object.
All elephants have tusks – which are really special teeth. But some tusks are much bigger than others.
So many elephants have been killed for the ivory in their tusks that hunters are now required to have special licences to shoot them.
The oldest female leads her group of females and babies. The males usually drift from family to family.
Elephants do have relatives. But there is actually very little family resemblance.
For centuries, people have captured and trained elephants to do their heavy work.
Elephants take between ten and fifteen years to grow up. When they do, the females stay with the group, but the males leave.
Video 1: It’s very handy to have a hose for a nose! Elephants use their trunks to drink, to shower, to touch each other, and to signal when it’s time to move on.
Video 2: A charging elephant spreads its ears to make itself seem even larger and fiercer than it is. Most charges are bluffs. But unless you’re another elephant, it’s best not to wait around to find out!
Advice: Threatened elephants spread out their ears shortly before they charge. That’s your signal to back off. When they are really serious, they fold back their ears and run straight for you. That’s your signal to RUN! Actually, I would suggest that you retreat if an elephant is even looking intently at you.
Following this in the program is an activity called Animal Audio: Elephants sometimes make sounds so low-pitched that they are impossible for humans to hear. The variety of sounds that animals make is truly amazing. Try your hand at guessing which animals make which sounds.
What's coming tomorrow follows that: If you do a lot of hiking in North America, an important sound to recognise is the buzzing of a rattlesnake.
No comments:
Post a Comment