Elephants - some of the biggest and clever animals of the planet. The weight of some individuals reaches 5-7 t, height of 4 m. The massive body, quite large head, powerful a trunk, thick legs - an elephant makes an impression of a corpulent slow animal. However these animals can surprisingly quickly and silently move. And here elephants a little, only 2-3 hours a day sleep, and it is rather peculiar.
Elephants are social animals
Long ago it is noticed that elephants are the animals caring for the fellows or pack, speaking to more language of science – social animals. Most often division into packs at elephants is defined by sexual character, between adult individuals. Cubs go together with elephant cows, do not grow yet, then division happens again.
The pack means to elephants much, it is possible to tell – for them it is all life. In spite of the fact that elephants are the biggest overland mammals, one by one they are an easy mark for various predators and poachers. Because of the impressive sizes they are very clumsy, and young individuals especially will not be able to fight back in emergency situation.
For a long time elephants it is used by the person, not only for the sake of hunting behind valuable tusks, but also as assistants, circus performers, etc. Because of a rarity of these animals and the amplified hunting, elephants are included in the Red List and are carefully protected.
As elephants sleep
In what situation elephants sleep, most often depends on that how many to them years. So, cubs, finally weak and just to everything pupils, usually sleep on one side, adult individuals - in a standing position, a dense ring having gathered around kids that at night nothing threatened them. Only having made sure that all pack in safety, they fall asleep as a big and close-knit family. However elephants never sleep all at once, surely leave patrol (depending on pack number, usually one or two elephants) which watch perimeter and at the slightest danger will be able to wake all. That enemies did not manage to approach imperceptibly in night-time, elephants usually prefer to sleep in the afternoon. Old elephants clasp during sleep a tree better to hold balance or sleep on one side as cubs. Why exactly standing for scientists remains a riddle still. The majority explains it with the aspiration to avoid various influences from the soil, overheating in the afternoon or coolings with night. There is an opinion that such pose is convenient during sudden attack as the elephant nevertheless a clumsy animal and slow rise if something happens can ruin it, and in a standing position, it is always ready to fight back. Some consider that such feature of a dream remained with elephants from their possible ancestors – mammoths. Those slept standing that at night not to receive cooling, at big negative temperatures in places of the dwelling. Even the available fur could not save them from overcooling.