Elephants are the largest living land mammals. The adult Asian male elephant weighs approximately six tons and can be as tall as 10 feet when measured up to its shoulder. In both the African and Asian species, the males are larger as compared to the females. Just imaging an elephant run can be a fascinating idea. So, often animal lovers want to know how fast can an elephant run.

As per the commonly known definition of running, the elephant is regarded as a mammal which does not have this ability. The fast paced walk is often mistaken for running. The definition of running states that all 4 feet of the animal must not be in contact with the ground at some point in time in order to be termed as running. This is not a possibility with elephants. Regardless, they can move at speeds of almost 15 miles each hour.

These mammals have large ears which they fan in order to circulate the air around. The thinner ear skin allows faster dissipation of heat from the body. The ears by themselves weigh almost 110 lbs and measure 4x6 feet in the size.
The trunk is mainly used to lift water and drink. This is a sensitive part of the body. It is used to get a grasp of any object and also for caressing the young ones. By itself, the weight of the trunk is nearly 400 lbs and measures 7 feet in length. The males also have tusks which are used to tear or rip open objects and also as a weapon during fights. These are nothing but elongated tooth. By itself, one pair of tusks weighs approximately 440 pounds. In the females, shorter version of the tusks called tush is present which are not of any specific use.

The life span of females is approximately 60 years. They begin to mate and produce little ones by the age of 12 years till they die. They have long gestation period of 2 years. The baby weighs approximately 200 to 250 pounds at the time of birth and they are usually delivered at night. Within thirty minutes after being delivered, the baby is assisted by older females in the group to get on their feet. Within few days, this baby will be able to accompany the herd in small excursions. The female can deliver babies once every four years.

The females and young ones remain in a herd while the males lead solitary lives. The male can mate once they reach adulthood by the age of 10 years. But usually, they begin mating only by the age of thirty, when they consider themselves mature enough to compete with other males.

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• Why Do Elephants Have Big Ears ?

eHow: How Fast Does an Elephant Run?
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