Sumatran Elephant
CLASSIFICATION :
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mamalia
Ordo : Proboscidea
Family : Elephantidae
Genus : Elephas
Species : Elephas maximus
Sub species : Elephas maximus sumatranus
Elephants are four-legged herbivorous mammals with a very huge body. They have a very distinctive body part which became their unique feature in most people mind, it is called “the trunk”. It is basically their nose, but it can also be used for several purpose besides breathing. It can be used to grasp object (food, flowers, etc), to suck and pour water, and also to do hand shake with humans. It is recorded that there are three species of elephant existed in the world. They are The African Bush Elephant, The African Forest Elephant and The Asian Elephant. Sumatran Elephant including The Asian Elephant.
Sumatran elephants are the descendants of Asian elephants which can be found only in the region of Sumatera island. Generally, they have a smaller body size than the Indian elephant. They are one of the species that are very protected in Indonesia. The protection is done because the Sumatran elephant population began to decline, rare, and endangered species which will be extinct. According to the results of the survey conducted in 2000 there were about 2000 to 2700 species. But now, 65% of the population died due to killed by humans by gun and poisoned. Now, the habitats that were inhabited by Sumatran elephants have been changed into plantations.
The Sumatran elephants are the largest mammals that exist in Indonesia. They are around 6 tons and their height is about of 3.5 m. Elephants have a long enough period of pregnancy. Their pregnancy period is about 22 months and they can live until 70 years old. Elephants are a kind of smart herbivores because they have bigger brains than the other mammals. Elephant has ears big enough, and it makes their sense of hearing is very good. In addition, the large ears also function as a regulator of body heat. While their trunk works to find or get food and water. Sumatran elephants are considered to be one of endangered animals by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), because they are hunted by humans since a long time ago for their ivory.
The life cycle of the elephant can be categorised into 3 main periods – the baby, the adolescent and the adult elephant. Like humans, each stage lasts for an extended period of time and very distinct developmental milestones characterise each level of maturity.
The baby stage lasts from birth until the elephant has been weaned off its mother’s milk completely. This can be anywhere between 5 and 10 years of age. Being weaned means that the calf no longer drinks milk from its mother, but is able to live only on solid vegetation. For the first 3 to 5 years, most elephant calves are totally dependant on their mothers for their nutrition, hygiene, migration and health. This period is used to teach the young one all they will need to know about the herd and their environment in order to be able to survive alone. These lessons include the proper use of their trunk for feeding, drinking and bathing. The calf is born after a gestation period of almost 2 years (22 months). The first calves of the season are born about 2 months before the first rains, meaning that vegetation is soft and lush when they start to feed on it.
The adolescent stage extends from the time that the elephant has been weaned (5 to 10 years of age) until about 17 years old. It is during this stage that the elephants reach sexual maturity. This generally occurs anywhere between 8 and 13 years of age. They do not usually begin to mate at this adolescent stage. Adolescence is the time in which young elephants begin to break away from the main herd. Young bulls, in particular, tend to form smaller pods of peers, known as ‘bachelor pods’. Females are more likely to stick to the main matriarchal herd.
Adulthood starts at about 18 years of age, and the elephant has an average life expectancy of 70 years. Although sexually mature in their early teens, elephants generally only start to mate at about 20 years and stop bearing calves at about 50. Like humans, elephant cows experience something similar to menopause. Many of the age-related illnesses also bear strong resemblances to those of humans, including cardiovascular diseases and arthritis. During adulthood, many of the bulls tend to wonder from the main herd in search of new cows with whom to mate. The female elephants will remain with the matriarchal pod, sticking together and assisting one another with nursing and caring for calves.
Elephants, like humans, enjoy clearly defined stages of their lives, each lasting for several years, even decades. Stages are characterised by structured roles and duties. These fascinating creatures continue to amaze researchers in terms of their insight and resourcefulness.
QUESTION :
1. Sumatran elephants are included in the type of elephant.......
a. The African Bush Elephant
b. The Asian Elephant
c. The African Forest Elephant
d. The American Elephant
2. Sumatran elephants pregnancy period is about........
a. 1 year
b. 1 year 5 months
c, 1 year 8 months
d. 1 year 10 months
3. The weight of the Sumatran Elephant is around......
a. 6000 kg
b. 600 kg
c. 60 kg
d. 6 kg
4. Sumatran Elephants can live until....
a. 50 years old
b. 60 years old
c. 70 years old
d. 80 years old
5. Why Sumatran elephants are considered to be one of endangered animals by the IUCN?
a. Because they are hunted by humans since a long time ago for their ivory
b. Because the sumatran elephants is extinct
c. Because the pregnancy period of the Sumatran elephants is very long
d. Because Sumatran elephants are the largest mammals
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