African Elephant
wildlife of Namibia
Introduction -The elephant is the world's largest land mammal. African elephants live in small family groups of between 10 and 20 animals, these family groups frequently congregate in larger herds at communal waterholes. Bulls live alone or in small bachelor groups only joining the herds when the cows are in season. Elephants can live to a potential age of 70 years, the massive tusks of older bulls can weigh up to 50 or 60 kilograms, but tusks weighing up to 90 kilograms have been recorded.
An elephants hearing and smell are excellent but eyesight is moderate and best in dim light.
In Namibia elephants can be found in great numbers in the Etosha Park (esp during the dry winter months) as well as in the north east of the country and Caprivi Strip where they roam freely between the Okavango Delta in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola. Namibia also has a population of desert adapted elephants which can be found throughout Damaraland and the Kaokoveld.
Diet - An adult elephant eats around 250kg of vegetation every day Elephants can drink up to 200 litres of water in a single session
Colouring - Grey
Breeding - African Elephants are not seasonal breeders. Generally they produce one calf every three to four years. The gestation period is about 22 months. At birth calves weigh about 100 Kg and are fully weaned between 18-24 months.
Size - weighs up to seven tonnes and reaches heights of 3.3 m at the shoulder
