The emperor of the jungle [column]

Title

Identifier

Elementary Science Section

Language

English

Source

The Young Citizen : the magazine for young people 6 (5) May 1940

Year

1940

Subject

Elephants--Africa

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Abstract

The African elephant is the largest animal walking the Earth. Their herds wander through 37 countries in Africa. They are easily recognized by their trunk that is used for communication and handling objects. ... Upper incisor teeth develop into tusks in African elephants and grow throughout their lifetime.

Fulltext

186 THE YOUNG CITIZEN May, 1940 ELEMENTARY SCIENCE SECTION THE EMPEROR OF THE JUNGLE THE largest and most powerful o(Iiving land animals at the present time is the elephant, which can usually overcome the attacks of any other inhabitant of the jungle. Therefore the elephant may be called "the emperor of the jungle." Far better than the lion, it deserves the title "'the king of beasts." Although fossil remains of various kinds of elephants are found in every zone of the eastern and western continents, the elephant is today represented In the African species both .male and female elephants have tusks, but only male Asiatic elephants are tusked. In Ceylon· even the males are usually without tusks. The food of the African variety consists of roots, which it digs with its tusks, and of boughs, shrubs, and small ttees. The food of the Asiatic variety is less coarse; it consists of grains, fruits, sugar cane, bamboo shoots, grasses, leaves, and juicy plants. · In both species the position of the knee of the hand leg is such as to cause it to bend like the foreleg, giving the elephant a strange gait when compared with that of the horse. by only two species, the African and the Asiatic. The A fr i ca n elephant is theIarger of the two species. It attains eleven feet in height, while the Asiatic elephant never exceeds ten feet. The African representative a I so h as African Elephants The habits' of the two species are similar. All larger ears and larger, coarser teeth. The forehead of the African elephant is convex, while that of the Asiatic species is concave. The trunk of the African type appears regularly ridged, as if it were segmented, arid the margins of the end form two prehensile finger-like tips. The trunk of the Asiatic elephant is smooth· and tapering, and it. has but one prehensile tip. In both species the trunk is formed by the union of the nose with the upper lip. elephants are social, and herds numbering from 10 to 100 or more, usually led by females, are found in forests in the neighborhood of streams, although they move into open country during the rainy season, and may even ascend high mountains. "Rogue" elephants ar·e males which remain permanently separated from the herd. Elephants frequently migrate with the change of seasons to find better feeding grounds. Like horses, they sleep either standing up or lying down, usually in the Moy, 1940 THE YOUNG CITIZEN middle of the night and the heat of the day. In captivity they may not lie down for weeks, and individuals have been known to remain on their feet for five years. The elephant is an excellent swimmer, and instances are recorded of animals which swam continuously for six hours in water more than thirty feet deep. Elephants cannot leap, and never have all four feet off the ground at the same time. They s,how remarkable speed in running in spite of their ungainly size. · The elephant is timid and inoffensive in its natur<e, but becomes dangerous when enraged. It expresses its emotions in a definite manner. When about to charge an enemy, it utters a loud, shrill "trump", and rolls up its sensitive trunk out of danger. When pleased, it squeaks or purrs softly. Rage is expressed by a roar, and suspicion by rapping the trunk on the ground and emitting from it a volume of air with .the sound of crinkling tin. Wild elephants use branches of trees to brush away the flies, or, if they cannot secure branches, throw grass or spout water over the body to keep the flies away. The naked skin of the animal is very sensitive. Naturalists say that the intelligence of the elephant is usually over-rated. It is, however, very docile and obedient, an.d is easily trained. The elephant in captivity is a patient and faithful servant of man, quick to learn and to obey orders. In India and 'Burma elephants are r.egularly employed in industries requiring heavy work, in all of which they exercise care and accuracy, two or more animals working toget.her in much the same way as do human beings. They haul logs and lift and carry timbers or boxe~ containing supplies. An elephant is capable of carrying half a ton over a level country. In hauling heavy loads a regular harness is employed. This consists of a leather collar around the neck to which a dragging rope is attached. Elephants are also sometimes hitched to wagons or plows. For riding, a padded saddle is usually placed on the back of the elephant, and on this is bound a box, called the howdah, which holds from two to six passengers. The driver, called the mahout, sits astride the elephant's neck. · In Siam white elephants or albinos are esteemed as sacred. Elephants seldom breed in captivity. In the wild state one cal( rarely two, is produced at birth. So great is the .mother's care that a baby elephant rarely dies. When on the march; mothers and young go in advance, but if an alarm is sounded, they immediately fall back and tjie old males go to the front. The young one returns its mother's affection, and resists to the utmost any indignity qffered to her. Elephant hide, when tanned, makes very strong, durable leatlter. The flesh is eaten by some native tribes of Africa. Since earliest times elephants have been killed for their ivory tusks. Before hunting was restricted in Africa, tens of thousands of these animals were killed every year by ivory hunters; REVIEW QUESTIONS I. How many and what species of elephants exist today? 2. Can you tell some of the differences between these species? · 3. Can you tell some of the habits of elephants? 4. How are elephants useful?

pages

186-187

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