African bush Elephant
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1.Taxonomy
kindom: animals
phylum: chordata
class:mammal
family:Loxodonta and Elephas
order: proboscideans,therapsid,elpistostegalia.
genus: two genera
species: forest elephant
2.Evolution
All subspecies: the have two species.
how long has this species been in existence:the largest land animals alive today - are the only remaining species of the family Elephantidae in Africa about 60 million years ago.
closest living relative to this species:lived 1.5 million to 100,000 years ago afriacn forest elephant is to its nearest living relative.
3 ancestors of this species: Palaeoloxodon recki, lived in Africa between 3.5 millon and 100 000 years ago.
3.Description
- physical descriotion of the animal(with at least 3 pictures) adult reach up to 24 feet,long trunk (elongated upper lip and nose), columnar legs, and huge head with temporal glands and wide, flat ears.
point key characteristics of species; long tusks,columnar legs, thick skin,lack of hair on most of adult body.
size: male 10 ft and female 7.2-9.2 ft.
weight: male 13,00lbs and female 6,600 ibs
life span: 60-70 years
- differences between males and females: males weighing close to double that of female elephants.
Habitat: habitats, from open and wooded savannas to even some deserts and forests.
how much rainfall:Elephants require about 68.4 to 98.8 L (18 to 26 gal.) of water daily, but may consume up to 152 L (40 gal.).
plants:grass, leaves, bark, fruit, and a variety of foliage.
Animals:birds,lions,hyenas,crocodiles,zebra,buffalo wildebeest,leopard.
Temperature:36.6 °Cwithin narrow daily limits of about 1.3 °C.
terrain:across 37 African countries and inhabits forests, grasslands and woodlands, wetlands and agricultural land.
Distribution: Africa.they dont have invasive species Africa bush elephants.
Continents found: Africa,Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, and South Africa.
Diet: they spend much of their days foraging and eating grass, leaves, bark, fruit, and a variety of foliage.
What exacly does it eat :They need to eat about 350 pounds of vegetation every day.
how often does it eat :a wide variety of plants, from savannah grasses, shrubs, and herbs, to woody trees, bark, and fruits.
how does it get its food:feeding on grasses and leaves and using their powerful trunks to dig for roots or break off large tree branches.
any special foods: NO
1.social structure :
live in packs or solo:Males usually live alone but sometimes form small groups with other males. roles within communty: balancing natural ecosystems.male or famale led grouops: led by the eldest female.individuals that make up the group: male join a herd and often lead a solitary life, only approaching herds for mating.how do they interact with each other: touching, caressing and smelling each other with their trunks.
2.Reproduction:
3, Development:
live in packs or solo:Males usually live alone but sometimes form small groups with other males. roles within communty: balancing natural ecosystems.male or famale led grouops: led by the eldest female.individuals that make up the group: male join a herd and often lead a solitary life, only approaching herds for mating.how do they interact with each other: touching, caressing and smelling each other with their trunks.
2.Reproduction:
- how often do they mate: All the time.
- how many mates do they have : Elephants do not mate for life and Females may mate with more than one bull in each estrus cycle, which lasts up to 18 weeks.
- time of year for mating every three to nine years.
- mating rituals: A male and female they will rub their bodies on each other and even wrap trunks, the females tend to run away fron the males and he will have to pursue her.
- number of offspring produces at a time: one baby
- any unique characteristics of their mating: massive bodies, large ears,and long trunks.
3, Development:
- stages of development: young elephants wean after 6 to 18 months,although over 6 years.
- how old before sexual maturity: between 14 and 17 years .
- activities and environment of stagaes: open savanna to the desert, and can be found in most African countries.
- difference between males and females:Males stand two feet taller, again on average, at 10.5 feet (3.2 meters) tall from shoulder to toe. The biggest difference can be seen in their weight, with males weighing close to double that of female elephants.
1.causes of death:poaching and habitat loss.
predation:lions, hyenas,and crocodels.
sexual competition:secondary sexual characteristics between both sexes such as dimorphism of tusk and skull size exist.
disease:poaching for ivory and loss of habitat, the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis).
other causes:Infectious diseases of elephants include tuberculosis, haemorrhagic septicemia.
2.competition
inter-species-within the species: male elephants will use their tusks to duel against each other violently.
intra -species-with other species:elephants and rhinoceros compete for food.
what do they compete over: foods.
affect of invasive species:
The severity of impact of elephant on vegetation depend largely on the type of impact suffered by a plant species and its response to the impact.
3.IUCN rating:
what is the rating? endangered.
population:415,000 elephants across Africa.
population trend:shrunk by 98% since 1500.
4.impact of humans.
what impact have occurred:huunt and kill and noise pollution.
potential future impacts:Elephants will soon become extinct if no proper conservation strategies are implemented.
how long have humans been interaction with speciesa: 5000 years ago
efforts being made to minimize impacts:killing ,on average 55 elephants illegally killed every day.
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