Asian Elephant

Elephas maximus

THE ANIMAL WITH THE ICONIC TRUNK

In Danish zoos, you can experience both Asian and African elephants. At Copenhagen Zoo, we have the Asian elephant species.

Elephants are social animals and live in a so-called matriarchy: a herd with young of all ages and up to 40 individuals. The group is led by the oldest females, who together ensure the protection of the young from dangers. The oldest female elephant is called the matriarch, and her role is crucial for the herd. She carries extensive knowledge about the area the herd moves through: when food is available, where the waterholes are, and which ones are good at certain times of the year. This knowledge is vital for the herd's survival and is passed on every single day to the other elephants in the herd.

Female elephants are allowed to stay in the herd. The males, however, begin to wander away from the herd when they reach sexual maturity at around 10 years old. Initially, they form small bachelor groups or live alone for a while. The males regularly encounter groups of females, but only when the males are in musth do they interact with them.

Musth is the rutting period of male elephants. It typically appears for the first time when the elephant is around 15 years old. During musth, the male elephant behaves significantly more aggressively. His testicles enlarge, and testosterone levels reach new heights. At the same time, he secretes a strong-smelling, brownish fluid from a special gland between the ear and eye. During this period, he is also not very interested in food or drink, and therefore often loses a considerable amount of weight. In the wild, musth usually lasts about 30-45 days, while the period in captivity can be somewhat longer.

Male elephants can mate with female elephants at any time, but motivation is typically increased during musth. A mating can last just 30 seconds – the gestation period, however, takes 22 months and is the longest gestation period in the animal kingdom!

But life as a female tiger is not without risk. If she meets a strange male while she has young, it can have fatal consequences. The male will, without hesitation, kill the young.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE ASIAN ELEPHANT

Gestation: 20-22 months
Habitat: Asia, forest and grassland areas
Diet: Leafs, roots, shoots and bark
Lifespan: 60-70 years
Weight: 2.000-6.000 kg
Height: Up to 300 cm

THE WORLD'S WILDEST TOOL

An elephant's trunk contains around 150,000 muscles (!) and has no bones at all. This makes the trunk both extremely flexible and sensitive. In many ways, it can be compared to our hands. The elephant uses its trunk to break thick branches, uproot trees, and tear large pieces of bark from tree trunks. More delicately, it can also be used to gently pick leaves or fruits from the treetops.

GROWS FAST

During the first year, a baby elephant gains about 1 kg per day! The calf uses its mouth to suckle from the mother's teats. Female elephants have two teats, both located between the front legs.

THE TRUNK MUST BE TRAINED

When elephant calves are born, they initially need to exercise the muscles in their trunks. This means that at first, the trunk mostly just hangs loosely like an earthworm. However, the calves are very quick learners and typically learn to use it quickly.

HAVE A FAVORITE TUSK

Elephants typically have a preferred tusk, just as humans are right- or left-handed. In the elephant world, being left-tusked is most common. In fact, only about 30% of elephants prefer their right tusk!

POPULAR TUSKS

Both Asian and African elephants have been hunted for their tusks for many years. Tusks are made of ivory, which is highly valuable on the black market. Males with the largest tusks are often killed before they have the chance to reproduce. As a result, the average size of tusks has decreased over time. Among male Asian elephants, it is also becoming increasingly common not to develop tusks at all.

STATUS IN NATURE

The Asian elephant is endangered.

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Working with animals at Copenhagen Zoo

Caring for the world’s animals is a major responsibility – but what does that look like in practice? Part of the answer lies in enrichment and training that support the animals’ natural behaviour.

Here, you can learn much more about how we work with both: