African Elephant
Today’s adventure takes us to a land with MANY different animals, rough terrain, wide open spaces, and hot weather. We are headed to Africa to learn more about the largest land mammal, the elephant!
Let’s GO!
Critter At A Glance
How big are elephants? Elephants are known as the largest land mammal, but until you see one up close it’s hard to really know how big they really are! Adults don’t stop growing until they are 35-40 years. Babies are born weighing over 250 lbs and adults can be anywhere between 5,000-14,000 lbs.
What do they use their trunks for? Elephants have crazy critter skills with their trunks. They can use it to breathe, even as a snorkel under water. They can use it to drink and even pick up items as small as a peanut. It’s like a nose, mouth, and hand all in one!
How do they communicate? They communicate in lots of ways. They can trumpet with their trunks, through touch, smell, and body language. The most interesting way they communicate is through stomping and vibrations of the ground. Elephants definitely have an interesting secret language of their own!
Have you heard of this elephant SWIMMING adventure? Don’t miss it!
Are you ready for an out of this world fact?
You might have heard that elephants never forget. Well, their temporal lobe (an area of their brain) is even larger than people’s. Researchers have found that elephants can remember injuries and other elephants they met years and years ago!
Critter Protectors we need you! It’s time to CREATE and time to MOVE!
Can you CREATE your own drawing of an African Elephant? Try using only 1 medium (a pencil, pen, one colored pencil) What details can you add even though you’re only using one color?
Today your challenge is to MOVE like an elephant! Lock your arms together and try to see what it’s like to have a trunk. Can you pick things up, lock “trunks” with someone else to say hi?
Don’t forget to SHARE! #heymrjim
“Top 10 Facts about Elephants.” WWF, https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/fascinating-facts/elephants.
Ritchie, James. “Fact or Fiction?: Elephants Never Forget.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 12 Jan. 2009, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/elephants-never-forget/.