elephant

=E- Elephants are the titans of land animals, for they are the real kings of the jungle= =L- Lion, the king of the jungle, fears the elephant= =E- Every farmer fears elephants, for they raid their farms at night= =P- Poachers kill elephants for their tusks= =H- Halt when there's an elephant coming, or they'll run you over= =A- Always eating is a habit they've come to take seriously= =N- Never fear when you're an elephant, you have no predators= =T- Trees fall when elephants stampede=

=Interview=

Oprah- Here on the Oprah Winfrey show we have Elly the Elephant telling us about her species. Ellie- Thanks for the intro Oprah. Oprah- So Ellie how much do elephants weigh? Ellie- Well about 8.25 tons on average but can weigh a lot more or less. Oprah- How tall do elephants grow? Ellie- About 13 feet tall at the shoulder. Oprah- About how much can an elephant drag? Ellie- Approximately 20,000 pounds. Oprah- WOW. So how many months does it take for an elephant to give birth? Ellie- Our gestation period is about 22 months. Oprah- What do elephants eat? Ellie- We are herbivores. Oprah- What in particular do you eat? Ellie- Nuts,berries,fruit,vegetation,and bark. Oprah- How many pounds of food do you need every day, it must be a lot considering you are so much bigger than us? Ellie- We must eat 300 pounds of food every day to stay alive. Oprah- Oh my gosh thats more food than we eat in a month or two! Ellie- We also spend a lot of our time foraging for that food. Oprah- Yeah,I guess so.So Ellie how many muscles in your trunk do you have? Ellie- Well,I'd have to say 200,000. Oprah- Wow can you pick up a lot. Ellie- Oh yeah with our trunks alone we can lift 2,000 pounds or pluck a blade of grass. Oprah- Cool,what does the world look like to a baby elephant? Ellie- A forest of legs and trunks. Oprah- (back round laughter) So Ellie I've heard a woman with high heeled shoes does more damage to a floor than an elephant,is this true? Ellie- Oh yeah,A woman does 3 times more damage to a floor because the pressure is in a small area while our weight is spread out. Oprah- So a little weird question, how smart are elephants? Ellie- Well we are only on par with dolphins,apes,and humans for smartest animal award and our brains weigh 11 pounds. Oprah- Well how thick is your skin? Ellie- About an inch. Oprah- Does that skin have hair? Ellie- Only a little tiny bit that's why you can see so much skin on us. Oprah- Whoops it looks like we're out of time folks tune in next time on the Oprah Winfrey show and I hope you've enjoyed these facts. Ellie- Bye. Oprah-Bye.

=Informational Paragraphs=

=Problems= People hunt them for their tusks because it's valuable and you can make art out of it.They are endangered as well and have a large problem,habitat loss.They are also competing for food but that's not a very big problem.Another is that Some lions in Botswana have been known to prey on elephants.

=Birth and Childhood= When elephants have a child they usually only have one, and it weighs 210 pounds.If the baby is female it stays with the herd all it's life, but if it's a male it leaves the herd at the age of three. At the age of four it is considered an adult.It takes twenty-two months for the elephants to have their kids.When they do have them it stays with the herd all it's life (female) or it will stay with the herd for three years (male).The kids are always protected by every member of the herd and when those kids have their kids then it starts all over again.

=Habitat= Elephants live in deserts,african forests,mountains,and plains, but their habitat is dissapearing,slowly but surely,until there's nothing left.The villages are also invading their homes, and the elephants had one choice,adapt.So they started raiding the village,blocking trucks,then smashing them to get the goods within.The rest of their habitat does have lots of space to roam and get food.

=Food=

The elephant's diet consists of 50% grasses but also contains fruits,nuts,berries,bark,and other vegetation.Elephants have been known to kill people on rare occasions, but DO NOT eat them.The elephants herd must keep roaming for food because they need 300 pounds of it every day and spend 16 hours a day looking for it.As mentioned before,elephants do smash trucks,again on rare occasions,to get the sugarcane or other vegetation packed inside.Elephants are strictly herbivores and even though they will kill they do not eat their kill,they leave it for the scavengers.

=Elephant Menu= = = =Appetizers= $3.99-Elephant twigs and peanut butter-An appetizing blend of 100 freshly picked twigs and 12 pounds of peanut butter whipped up right before your eyes. $5.99-Elephant grass rolls-20 baked rolls woven with grasses and other praire vegetation as well as the best bread on the continent. $9.99-World fruit tray-A fruit tray full of dozens of the finest fruits imported from all parts of the world,fit for a patriarche and may just be the best fruit you've ever had. = = =Sandwiches= $7.99-Peanut butter mango sandwiches- 10 very delicous sandwiches with 7 mangoes imported from Brazil on each sandwich $8.99-Peanut butter banana sandwiches- 10 sandwiches filled with bananas imported from costa rica and peanut butter,satisfaction guaranteed $4.99-Veggie sandwich-8 nutritious sandwiches filled with peppers,lettuce,tomatoes,leaves,bark,and twigs,all freshly picked

=Other Glorious Foods= $14.99-American Zoo Treatment-Vitamins packed in delicous,freshly grown fruits and veggies,also includes flowers and seeds and will last you for two weeks $7.99-African Salad-A mixture of all types of African plants with a few international plants as well $9.99-Egyptian Pharoah's Meal-A blend of fruits,nuts,berries,flowers,bread,ice cream,and some other vegetation,voted our best meal and shaped like a pyramid too

=Dessert=

$9.99-VOLCANO!!!!!!!!-A volcano made of ice cream that is spewing ice cream on the plate,voted best dessert on the East side of the world

These are some pictures of elephants
 * ===Physical characteristics=== || Life Cycle || Growth || Body Functions || Pregnancy & Birth || Location / Habitat || Adaption || Problems || Behavior || Diet || Predators / Prey || Family groups || Relatives ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * The African elephant grows to be 13 ft tall on average || When males are born they stick with the herd || Elephants grow from 250 lbs to 8.25 tons || An African elephant can drag 20,000 pounds || Elephants have a gestation period of 22 months || African elephants live in 37 countries || The African elephant sometimes uses its trunk as a snorkel or to pick up mud to apply as sunblock || The largest threat to elephants is ivory trade || An Asian elephant at the San Diego zoo had a rocking behavior || Elephants are herbivores || Humans are a huge threat || Elephant females live in herds with a matriarche as the leader || The most famous extinct relative of the elephant is the mammoth ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * The African elephant grows to be 8.25 tons on average || When males reach a certain age they go out on their own || Elephants grow from 3 feet tall to 13 feet || A lot of behaviors are exhibited by elephants such as grief, making music, art, altruism, baby sitting, play, use of tools, compassion and self-awareness,making them a highly intelligent species in competition with whales and monkeys (humans) || When elephants are born they weigh only 250 pounds || The first African elephant reserve was the Kruger National Park || An elephants ears are very important for temperature control || Lions in Botswana now prey on elephants || A raised trunk can be a sign of danger while a lowered trunk is a sign for submission || The elephants diet is at least 50% grasses || Lions in Botswana have been known to prey on elephants || Males go out on their own and only get back with the herd during mating season || Elephants are related to dugongs ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * The African elephants trunk has over 200,000 individual muscles in it || Males only go back to mate and sometimes form male herds ||  || Elephants use their tusks to pry apart trees to get at the soft pulp inside || To a young baby elephant the world is a forest of trunks and leg || Elephants live on grassland and in deserts || Elephants have padded feet to help support their weight || Elephants are also in danger of habitat loss || Raising the trunk up in the air and turning it from side to side,like a periscope,can find the location of enemies and food sources || Elephants eat seeds,flowers,and fruits || The elephant has no prey unless you count plants ||   || Elephants are related to aardvarks ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * The African elephant's brain weighs 11 pounds || When a male mates with a female it is twenty two months until the baby is born ||  || An elephant can win in tug a war against 50-100 humans ||   || Elephants also live on mountains || Elephants have tusks to help fight and search for food || Elephants are also in danger because of parasites || Elephants spend 16 hours a day collecting food || Elephants also eat leaves,barks and fruits ||   ||   || Elephants are related to elephant shrews ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * The largest elephant recorded was 26,400 pounds || When the baby is born it is either destined to stay with the herd or go away ||  || The elephant trunk can "hear" by feeling vibrations ||   ||   ||   ||   || Elephants will travel great distances to get their food || Elephants DO NOT eat people ||   ||   || Elephants are related to elephant seals ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * An elephants skin is an inch thick || Female elephants stick with the herd and a female becomes the matriarche ||  || Elephants can smell very well,they have to,their lives depend on far traveling hormones ||   ||   ||   ||   || Elephants do not sleep at all compared to us they only sleep 5-8 hours ||   ||   ||   || Elephants are related to hyrax's ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Elephants are gray || When a female argues with the matriarche it is sometimes banned from the herd ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Elephants pant to cool down, just like dogs ||   ||   ||   || Elephants are also related to us, from a far ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * An elephant has four toenails in the back and five in the front || When a female is banned from the herd she will often start a new herd if she finds a male ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || Elephants have been known to kill people ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * = African elephants have large ears || When you go back to the beginning it starts over ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   || An elephant has self-awareness according to a scientific test ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||

I've gotten my information for these facts from [|wikipedia] and written them in my own words. 1.) The African elephant grows to be 13 ft tall on average 2.) The African elephant grows to be 8.25 tons on average 3.) The African elephants scientific name is Loxodonta africana 4.) The African elephants trunk has over 200,000 individual muscles in it 5.) The African elephants trunk is so versatile it can pick up a piece of grass or rip apart a tree 6.) The African elephant sometimes uses its trunk as a snorkel or to pick up mud to apply as sunblock 7.) The African elephants tusk grows up to 7 inches a year 8.) The African elephant can use its tusk to gore enemies 9.) The African elephant can use its tusk to pry branches,trees,etc. apart 10.) The African elephant can use its tusk to rip apart the baobab tree to eat the pulp inside 11.) The African elephant can "hear" with their trunks and feet. 12.) The African elephant must eat 300 pounds of food a day. 13.) The African elephant's brain weighs 11 pounds 14.) An African elephant's trunk and tusks combined can pick up 2,000 pounds 15.) An African elephant can drag 20,000 pounds 16.) One of the largest African elephant stampedes destroyed 1,000 trees 17.) An Asian elephant at the San Diego zoo has a rocking behavior that has yet to be reported in the wild 18.) Alexander the Great used elephants in wars and if he would have brought more than they would be able to decimate troops in minutes 19.) An elephant will some times knock over a tree for the food or shake it until the fruit falls off 20.) A raised elephant trunk can be a sign of danger 21.) A lowered trunk can be a sign of submission 22.) Raising the trunk up in the air and turning it from side to side,like a periscope,it can find the location of enemies and food sources 23.) Lions prey on elephants in some parts of Africa 24.) The African elephants population is between 470,000 and 690,000. 25.) The largest elephant recorded was 26,400 pounds 26.) Their are six living species of elephant, the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant,the Asian elephant,the Sumatran elephant,the Indian elephant,and the Borneo pygmy elephant 27.) The largest land mammal is an elephant 28.) The elephant has a gestation period of twenty two months 29.) The largest threat to elephants is ivory trade 30.) The first African elephant reserve was the Kruger National Park 31.) The elephant is capable of crushing any other land animal even the rhinoceros,hippo,or a car 32.) In south Africa there are 20,000 elephants,in 1995 there were only 8,000 33.) African elephants live in 37 countries 34.) An elephants skin is an inch thick 35.) An elephants ears are very important for temperature control 36.) A lot of behaviours are exhibited by elephants such as grief, making music, art, altruism, baby sitting, play, use of tools, compassion and self-awareness,making them a highly intelligent species in competition with whales and monkeys (humans). 37.) The elephant trunk can "hear" by feeling vibrations 38.) Elephants can smell very well,they have to,their lives depend on far traveling hormones 39.) Groups are led by the oldest female, a.k.a. the matriarch 40.) Elephants "talk" over long distances using infra-sound which can travel far through the ground and be picked up by other elephants feet 41.) Elephants have been taught to paint self-portraits and do it quite well for using something that can pick up 2,000 pounds 42.) Allomothers,elephant baby sitters,help care for the baby and the more allomothers the greater chances of survival 43.) Elephants effect on the environment is great for the most part they can create a water source,make pathways,and by knocking down trees,provide future nutrition 44.) Elephants spend 16 hours a day collecting food 45.) The elephants diet is at least 50% grasses, supplemented with leaves, bamboo, twigs, bark, roots, and small amounts of fruits, seeds and flowers. 46.) An elephant realized when he looked in the mirror it was him 47.) A new born elephant weighs 250 pounds and is 2 feet tall 48.) Elephants can not jump 49.) When an elephant is running or walking it has to have a foot on the ground 50.) An elephant has four toenails in the back and five in the front These facts are from http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/elephant. 51.) Elephants can live in almost any habitat that has enough food and water 52.) Elephants eat 5% of their body weight every day 53.) Elephants drink 30-50 gallons of water every day 54.) Elephants are in danger in part because of habitat loss 56.) Elephants have been known to "weep" over only their species' bones 57.) Elephants do not carry their fallen relatives to elephant graveyards 58.) Elephants are the third most social animal behind us and dolphins 59.) Animal Planet's logo is an elephant 60.) AWF's logo is an elephant These facts are from eyewitness elephant. 61.) Some of the elephants relatives are dugongs,hyraxs',aardvark,elephant seal,and elephant shrew 62.) Elephants have destroyed trains and have been known to attack villages with food inside 63.) The Uganda $500 bill has an elephant on it 64.) Elephants have been known to "mine" salt 65.) Elephants can pull a truck stuck in the mud but can't get stuck in the mud themselves 66.) Elephants have very good traction because of the cracks on the soles of their feet 67.) The largest pair of elephant tusks weighed,combined,461 lbs and were almost 20 ft stacked up 68.) An elephant has been recorded with 7 tusks! 69.) It's great to be an elephant because you can scare away pretty much any food competitors 70.) Elephants pant to cool down These facts are from DK ANIMAL 71.) Asian elephants have small ears 72.) African elephants have large ears 73.) Elephants take dust baths to keep their skin healthy 74.) Elephants are gray 75.) Elephants have been known to kill people 76.) Elephants consume plants,not meat 77.) An elephant can win in tug a war against 50-100 humans 78.) Elephant calves are protected by most of the herd 79.) The elephants trunk is very versatile 80.) Elephants live in forests,on mountains,in deserts,and on the savanna's These facts are from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/african-elephant.html 81.) African elephants are threatened not endangered 82.) An elephants group name is a herd 83.) An elephant will live up to 70 years in the wild 84.) Elephant males known as bulls battle with their tusks 85.) An elephants trunk is actually a nose 86.) Elephants do not sleep a lot 87.) African elephants are not easily domesticated 88.) Asian elephants are endangered 89.) Asian elephants are domesticated somewhat easily 90.) When Asian elephants are domesticated they can haul felled trees,execute,serve as a car,or as a hunting mount These facts are from animalplanet.com 91.) When males are first born they live with the herd 92.) When males are old enough they leave the herd and sometimes form other only male herds 93.) People cannot hear elephant communication because it's on a decibel not audible by humans 94.) Even though a whale is twenty times bigger than an elephant it only has twice the brain size 95.) Elephants are pachyderms meaning thick skinned 96.) Later in the males lives they rejoin with the females to mate 97.) The African elephant has the biggest tusks 98.) The elephants most famous relative is the mammoth and it had larger tusks than the African elephant 99.) An elephant will use its tusks to loosen mineral rich dirt then they will eat it 100.) Elephants will travel great distances to get their food