African Elephant facts
Most intelligent mammals.
African elephants are the most intelligent largest land mammals that stay in the savanna. These African Elephant facts will amaze you. They are the most intelligent mammals with a great long-lasting memory. Their high memory allows them to harbor grudges and recognizes long lost friends upon their return. Then engage in a greeting ritual as a joyous way of welcoming another elephant. This ritual greeting involves elephants spinning in a circle while flapping their ears and trumpet. Because of their excellent memory; these elephants often revisit the bones of the deceased for years touching them with their trunks. The African elephants have a strong sense of smell, and they detect water sources in a distance of about 20km away.
The body of the elephant
The African elephant’s ears help to radiate excess heat. The ears are for visual communication, for example, flapping their ears means anger or joy. Also, the ears and feet help to hear the sound over long distances. Despite their huge mass body, elephants can swim for quite a long distance.
African elephants live in a social unit that is headed by the older female. The male elephants usually live the social group at 14 years old and join other bulls in search of potential mates. African elephants spend about two years in gestation period giving birth to only one calf. Conception takes place after 3 to 6 years. Elephants eat up to 300 kg of food and drink a lot of water, spending about 16 hours feeding.
African Elephant’s fears.
The African elephants are afraid of bees; the local communities near the parks are advised to invest in beekeeping as a way of scaring these animals from attacking them.
According to the recent survey carried out by Uganda Wildlife Authority and Wildlife Conservation Society; shows that the population of elephants in Uganda is growing by 60% to more than 5000 individuals.
During the Uganda wildlife safari expect to see African elephants roaming the savanna parks in search of food and water. Look out for African elephant during a morning or evening game drive; as well as during the boat cruise on Kazinga channel and Murchison falls; where these elephants go to bath at the shores during the hot afternoon. These elephants bath in the mud to protect their skin; from direct sun rays and cleans their skin of bugs and ticks. Spot African elephants in Murchison falls national park and Kidepo valley national park. And get to know the African Elephant Facts.