South Africa Travel

 


 

Accommodation
Game Lodges
Hotels
National Parks
Kruger Park
Tours
Day Tours
Rent a Car
Book a Flight
Travel Insurance



 

Adventures
Beaches
Country Places
Cultural Exposure
Exciting Cities
Family Holidays
Historic Places
Heritage Sites
Popular Destinations
Scenic Routes
Wildlife
Other Activities

 

Province Guide
Maps
Info Centre

 

Client Comments
About Places
Privacy Statement
Listings
FAQ
Links
Site Map
Contact



Copyright@ 1997-2010
Southern Africa
Places cc
P.O. Box 3422
Paarl
Western Cape
South Africa
 

SATSA - Southern Africa Tourism Services Association

 

Elephant
Big Five   Leopard    Lion    Rhinosorous     Buffalo
 

Photo Gallery

Habitat: Elephants are always associated with permanent water and abundant vegetation (an exception to this is the unique desert elephant from Namibia, who adapted to survive in the harsh conditions of the area). Because elephants do not have sweat glands, water plays an important roll in helping them cool down.

Habits: Elephants are very intelligent and highly social animals. They live in herds, made up of the matriarch (the oldest animal in the group), her female calves and the youngsters. The herd can comprise between 6 and 30 animals, after what they split to form new herds, always maintaining contact with each other at water holes and feeding spots.

At 14 years of age, males leave the heard and associate with other bulls of the same age or older.
Within the "bull area" hierarchy is well observed and understood by all bulls; if a group of bulls come across a cow in oestrus, the animal occupying the highest rank is the one to mate.

Males are much larger than females and their tusks are much longer and heavier.
Elephants have 6 sets of molar teeth; when the last set is lost, the animal is unable to feed and eventually dies. Their life span is about 50 to 60 years

Diet: Elephant eat practically any vegetable matter. Leaves, grass, reeds, roots, flowers, fruits, bark and even soil if the mineral content is high. They eat about 250 kg of food and drink about 150 to 200 liters of water a day.

Breeding: Females are sexually mature at 12 years of age and are mated by visiting bulls. After a gestation period of 22 months, the cow gives birth to a single calf that weighs up to 130 kg. The calf suckles for about 3 years.