The African and Indian elephants who treat family hemipterous, today - the only representatives of the animals who are once very extended worldwide with tusks. Distinguish main types of elephants in a shape of the head: at African more sloping profile, and - pronounced superciliary arches is also available a ledge with a cleft for Indian in the middle on the top.
Features of reproduction at elephantsAdult males of elephants, both African, and Indian, as a rule lead a single life. In temporary groups which are not connected with females only young males who did not reach yet age of puberty whereas females I live together unite. Usually males become mature, reaching age from 15 to 20 years - after that at them every year there comes the state which in Urdu is called "муст" that in translation "intoxication" means. During this period when in an organism of males testosterone level considerably increases, they can even be dangerous as they behave rather aggressively.
According to zoologists, in duels the elephants can get serious and even fatal injuries then the winner drives away all the rivals from a female, and then spends together with her about 3 weeks.
According to a number of experts, at the African elephants "муст" passes it is less expressed, beginning more late, usually after 25 years.
Usually mature males approach elephant herd only if at one of females began so-called estrus. If in the rest of the time the males quite tolerantly treat the relatives, then during this period they suit marriage duels, especially if at the same time their fodder territories are crossed. Elephants can practically breed at all seasons of the year, it depends only on when at a female begins estrus. If the full oestrous cycle proceeds at elephant cows about 4 months, then suitable time for copulation lasts only 2-4 days. Males, approaching herd at this time, begin to enter marriage duels. As a result only mature and strongest prepotent individuals participate in reproduction.
Pregnancy and birth of elephant calvesThe pregnancy period at elephants is record on duration among all mammals. Females bear cubs from 18 to 21.5 months. At the same time, according to scientific data, the fruit can be considered completely created by 19 months, subsequently it only grows, increasing in sizes. How many any given elephant cow will carry the kid, depends on a number of factors: season, age of a female, quantity of a forage, etc. When the elephant cow prepares for appearance of a cub, other females surround her, making around the woman in labor a stand. After the delivery the female begins to defecate - so the elephant calf will be able to remember a smell of her excrements that will help it not to lag behind mother in the future. In 2 hours after the delivery elephant calves as a rule can get up and suck milk. Mother a trunk showers at this time with its dust and the earth that skin of the newborn dried out, and the smell did not attract predators.
It is interesting that all females of herd who are during this period in a lactation raise a newborn cub.
In several days the elephant calves are already capable to go together with other members of herd. At the same time the kid holds a trunk a tail of the mother or sister. At the age of 6-7 months the elephant calves begin to eat also vegetable food, and before they eat maternal excrements, receiving thus not only undigested nutrients, but also various symbiotic bacteria useful to digestion of cellulose.