Fan-shaped ears, long nose, what you see is just my appearance

Today I want to share with you the story of the new internet celebrity - the Asian elephant. The fan-shaped ears and long nose are just the surface "appearance" that we see, but what else about the Asian elephant that we cannot see? Let's reveal it together.

In recent years, "Where Are the Elephants?" has become a TV series that the whole world is following. Mainstream media at home and abroad have been reporting on it, experts and scholars have shown great interest in the rare migration activities of the elephants, and many netizens have also been amused by the various cute behaviors of the elephants. For a time, Asian elephants have attracted countless fans and have become popular all over the world!

If we want to learn more about these lovely Asian elephants, we have to start with their “shape”:

We all know that Asian elephants have long trunks, big ears and long tusks, but there is more to them than meets the eye!

The elephant's trunk can bend and twist at will, and can lift 300 kg. You know what 300 kg means? A banana weighs about 150 grams, so 300 kg is equivalent to 2,000 bananas. At the same time, it can pick up peanuts and rub eyes like a human hand. It can also breathe, absorb water, spray water, remove dust, communicate, touch and fight. So the elephant's trunk can be said to be a multi-functional one.

Elephant ears have a strong sense of hearing and can clearly hear sounds from far away. Flapping the ears can help to dissipate body heat and repel mosquitoes and flies. The approximate age of an elephant can also be inferred by the degree of curling of the ear edge. Therefore, elephant ears are also a basis for ranking generations.

The "tusks" people usually refer to are the long tusks on both sides of the male elephant's upper jaw that protrude from the mouth. In fact, these are the elephant's incisors. Male elephants begin to grow tusks when they are 2-5 years old, and the tusks grow as they age. The longest tusks of Asian elephants can reach 1.8 meters. Tusks are important organs used by Asian elephants for fighting and assisting in feeding. Only large tusks can win the favor of female elephants.

Next, let us learn about the “walking” of Asian elephants.

The confusing behavior of human cubs has gone viral on the Internet before, so what are the "confusing behaviors" of Asian elephants?

Why do Asian elephants love to bathe and throw dirt?

Asian elephants love water and need 80-200 liters of water every day. In addition to daily drinking water, they use more water for bathing to lower their body temperature. When the weather is hot, they often use their long trunks to suck up mud and sprinkle it on their bodies to achieve the purpose of regulating body temperature and self-cleaning.

Why do Asian elephants throw their food?

Asian elephants roll up grass or leaves with their trunks and swish them back and forth on the ground or on their hooves to shake off dust and pick out food they don't like. I can't believe that such a big Asian elephant is like a clean but picky child. Children, don't learn to be picky about food!

Why do elephants slap the ground with their trunks?

Sometimes, Asian elephants slap the ground with their trunks and roar in places where they often feed. This behavior is a territorial behavior, which means that Asian elephants are expressing dissatisfaction and protesting. Therefore, for the safety of humans and animals, we must learn to understand and respect animals, so as to protect them.

China has set a Chinese example of wildlife protection in the protection and management of elephants migrating northward. What we can do in the subject of harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants is not only to keep a proper distance from wild animals. I am launching an initiative here today: let us consciously boycott ivory products and other elephant medicinal products; protect forests and cherish trees. Let us join hands and contribute more Chinese examples and Chinese strength to the construction of ecological civilization!