Wild Elephants of Africa and Asia have an average age of 60 to 70 years, depending on the species. Again, the amount of stress experienced by the elephant depends on its age. 2017, nabu, WWF, WWF, For Savannah Elephant cows more information on their lifecycle is known, including their periodic cycles. Typical behaviour includes heightened alertness, spreading of ears, roving eyeballs, tense and stiff bodies and a tendency to a more destructive and chasing attitude. The Forest Elephants, however, have been suggested to breed at a later age, around 23 years. See, in the wild, when a mama elephant is giving birth, all the other female elephants in the herd back around her in formation. How severe the effect of taking calves from their family and environment, and locking them up in small cages is, is difficult to determine. Between the two species, there is a difference in their life history, where female Forest Elephants seem to have a slower birth rate. ). The average lifespan of an elephant can vary significantly based on the species of the elephant in question, as well as the habitat in which the elephant lives. African bush elephants are the largest species, with males being 304–336 cm (10 ft 0 in–11 ft 0 in) tall at the shoulder with a body mass of 5.2–6.9 t (5.7–7.6 short tons) and females standing 247–273 cm (8 ft 1 in–8 ft 11 in) tall at the shoulder with a body mass of 2.6–3.5 t (2.9–3.9 short tons). Teixeira, C. P., de Azevedo, C. S., Mendl, M., Cipreste, C. F. & Young, R. J. In the wild, female elephants reach maturity at about 10 to 12 years. However, male elephants only get into Musth at the age of 15 and are in continuous competition with larger, older males. In addition to their limited life cycle when in captivity, several other reasons influence a captive elephants’ life-expectancy. Clubb, R. & Mason, G. A (2002) Review of the Welfare of Zoo Elephants in Europe. Female African Elephants stay in their mothers herd their entire life. The reason for this is rooted in different factors, including at what age they got captured and are trained. You should start by determining whether the elephant you are trying to identify is male or female, and will get help from How to sex African Elephants. First of all, research found that there is a difference in the mortality rate between elephants that have been taken from the wild and subsequently been trained and kept in captivity, compared to in captivity-born elephants. For example, in 1998, 11 African elephants were born in zoos. Elephant Symbolism & the Totem Animal Powers of Intention Manifestation through intention is yet another gift of the elephant. Currently, there is no information available on whether there are lifespan differences between  the subspecies. Shannon, G. et al. The average lifespan of an Asian Elephant is 60 years (NatGeo, WWFc). All four subspecies inhabit different environments but seem to undergo the same lifecycle. This is a list of non-fictional historical elephants by name. The animal was one of about 30 remaining in Africa. Overall, apart from psychological consequences, this increases their chance of getting a chronic foot and joint problems, such as foot abscesses or arthritis. In the wild, the younger bulls won’t have many chances at reproduction, but once they are at an age of 30-35 and their bodies are stronger, they will be able to successfully mate (Ananth 2000, WWFb). Although in the wild, the two Elephant species live in different environments, they share a similar life cycle. An Asian Elephant bull leaves the heard with about 10 years of age, which is when they get sexually mature (WWF, WWF, ). World Wildlife Fund b Artenporträt – Afrikanischer Savannenelefant (Loxodonta africana africana) (2017) WWF Hintergrund, Germany. Elephants enjoy a fairly unique family structure in terms of the role of the bull and the cow. Pinter-Wollman, N., Lynne, A. I. 2015. Front. The Savannah Elephant cows usually give birth to a new calf every 3-4 years, compared to every 5-6 years in Forest Elephants (Turkalo et al. Thousands of new, high-quality pictures added every day. Asian Elephants can be found at an altitude of up to 3.000 meters (10.000 feet) (Macdonald 2010). In the African elephant both the male and the female possess tusks, whereas in the Asian elephant it is mainly the male that has tusks. Both species undergo a similar life cycle, which starts with the longest gestation period of all mammals. It helps to be able to put the elephant you are trying to identify into a size category. ). Elephant-World © 2019. Female elephants are called “cows”, male elephants are called “bulls” and babies are called “calves”. "Her Cleverness is a Revelation to Trainers: why, she understands English", "Biggest elephant in Southern Africa dies – Africa Geographic", http://mohistory.org/blog/first-lady-of-the-saint-louis-zoo/, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_individual_elephants&oldid=1000123312, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Bimbo, costarred as pet elephant of Corky (, This page was last edited on 13 January 2021, at 18:08. However, in captivity, puberty may be reached as early as 3.5 to 5 years. Delve deeply in Elephant symbolism and meaning to find out how this Animal Spirit Guide can support, guide, and strengthen you. Biol. This is very similar compared to the age of the species of African Forest – and Savannah Elephant, which split an estimated 5.51 million years ago (Roca et al. By the age of 17, the bulls reach their full body size and will start reproduction at around 20 years of age (WWF, WWFc). Overall during these periods, the bulls experience a very strong urge to mate (Ananth 2000). The average lifespan of a Savanna Elephant is 70 years of age compared to an average of 60 years for the Forest Elephant (, Both species undergo a similar life cycle, which starts with the longest gestation period of all mammals. By 2003, only 3 of the 11 calves were still alive. The Sumatran elephant (E. m. sumatranus) lives in Sumatra, the Sri-Lankan elephant (E. m. maximus) in Sri Lanka, the Borneo pygmy elephant (E. m. borneensis) in Borneo, and the Indian Elephant (E. m. indicus) on the mainland of Asia (NatGeo, Fernando et al. Savannah Elephant females are most fertile between 25 and 45 years of age and once the cows are older than 40, their fertility decreases until the age of about 60, when they stop reproducing. Since the cows have a life expectancy of 40 years, it shortens their time for reproduction by more than 20 years, compared to wild individuals. Once the calf is independent and the mother is not nursing anymore, the mother can reproduce again. (2003) DNA analysis indicates that Asian elephants are native to Borneo and are therefore a high priority for conservation. Usually, a female reaches the puberty around 10 years but, recent studies on their reproductive biology have confirmed that normal oestrous cycling could start at five to six years of age, and additionally, recorded pregnancies at nine year old females. Anim. The bulls typically have their highest production rates at the age of 40 to 55 (WWFb). All four subspecies inhabit different environments but seem to undergo the same lifecycle. Int. The African Elephant species are called the Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis). Adolescent male elephants will leave their natal herd and learn the rules to prepare for adulthood from older male elephants. For Savanna Elephants it is known that the mother may continue nursing her calf for more than 6 years. (2007) Revisiting translocation and reintroduction programs: the importance of considering stress. By that time, the young bulls join loose groups of other males, when they will experience their first period of Musth. & Hart, L. A. Find female elephant stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection. 2003). Female Elephants undergo periodic cycles with a duration of 16 weeks, and 2-3 days of potential receiving time (WWF b). An Asian Elephant bull leaves the heard with about 10 years of age, which is when they get sexually mature (WWF, WWFc). The individuals are typically small in size and have not reached their adult body weight or height yet. However, it is evident that elephants in captivity have a lower life expectancy and only have a lifespan of around 2/3rds that of a wild elephant. An elephant's trunk contains over 40,000 muscles, and it is able to hold 4 liters of water. The average lifespan of the two African Elephant species, are relatively similar. Secondly, the Forest Elephant cows have been found to have longer intervals between calves. This stress results from an extreme change in environment and natural habitat, as well as the implementation of questionable training methods. Hence, the success rate of breeding Elephants in captivity is very low, with calves experiencing high mortality rates. Ananth D (2000) Musth in Elephants. Once the mother finished nursing, she is ready to receive new offspring. Once the calf is independent and the mother is not nursing anymore, the mother can reproduce again. In the wild, the younger bulls won’t have many chances at reproduction, but once they are at an age of 30-35 and their bodies are stronger, they will be able to successfully mate (Ananth 2000, WWF, ). 2015, WWFa). Lupien, S. J., McEwen, B. S., Gunnar, M. R. & Heim, C. (2009) Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behaviour, and cognition. Lahdenperä (2018) further suggests that noticeable negative effects on mortality are most prominent in the first decade in captivity and typically results in a reduction of their lifespan by several years. 40, 1–8. Macdonald DW (2010) The encyclopedia of mammals. For example, this means that a total of 81% of the European Asian zoo elephant population were imported from the wild, either wild-caught or transported from timber camps (Clubb 2002). RSPCA, Horsham. Nature communications: 9, 3023. Musth is a periodical condition that continues until the age of about 65 years. The bulls play a largely functional role, that of increasing the elephant population in his territory. All in all, the life expectancy of an Elephant in captivity is much shorter compared to its wild counterparts. Elephant, as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal, can help! These two genera include, on the one hand, two African Elephant species, and on the other hand the Asian Elephant together with the American Mastodon (Woolly Mammoth). From an age of 10-12, an Elephant cow can give birth for the first time and may continue doing so until the age of 50-55 (WWF. (2008) Modeling population viability of captive elephants in Myanmar (Burma): implications for wild populations. With a gestation period of 22 months, the elephant is pregnant for a longer time than any other mammal on the planet. The periods of Musth start with short intervals of a few days and later in life tend to take about 3 to 4 months. The elder female elephants help young mothers teach their offspring. The answer to the question "what is a baby swan called?" For an intelligent animal, such changes cause elevated stress levels, as well as physical illnesses that eventually lead to an increase in mortality, causing a reduction of their lifespan for several years. The Forest Elephants, however, have been suggested to breed at a later age, around 23 years. Elephant seals take their name from the large proboscis of the adult male (bull), which resembles an elephant’s trunk. Zoo’s print journal 15(5): 259-262. World Wildlife Fund c Hintergrundinformation – Asiatischer Elefant (Elephas maximus) (2006) WWF Germany & TRAFFIC living for a planet, Europe-Germany. The average lifespan of the two African Elephant species, the Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), are relatively similar. Please log in again. 16, 25 The spontaneous ovulating, polyestric female is usually considered nonseasonal, with births occurring throughout the year, but peaks in the rainy season have been observed in their range countries. ). In captivity, individuals typically do not get older than 40 (Lahdenperä 2018, NatGeo). 11, 198–205. 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