asian elephant adaptations by: chelsea pike. what does adaptation mean? adaptation means: the...
TRANSCRIPT
Asian Elephant Adaptations
By: Chelsea Pike
What Does Adaptation Mean?
Adaptation means:The special characteristics that enable plants and animals to be successful in a
particular environment are called adaptations.
Massive Size
Elephants' massive size is a great anti-predator adaptation. Although
technically prey animals, rather than predatory ones, adults are so large that
they're invulnerable to attacks from wild animals. Humans are the only
predator that can threaten them. However, baby elephants can be attacked
and killed by animals such as lions, tigers and hyenas. To stop calves being
harmed, adults in a herd will group the young together and form a protective
circle around them.
Special Trunks
Not only does it help elephants to reach food
high up in branches, it also allows them to get
to food and water on the ground, which they
otherwise wouldn't be able to access.
Additionally, they use their trunks to make
calls and other sounds to communicate with
one another and warn their herd about any
potential threats.
Tough Tusks
Although their tusks can bring elephants some trouble, as
they're also very useful. They use them to strip bark and
soft wood off trees, which they subsequently eat. Their
tusks can also help them to survive through dry spells, as
they use them to bore down into the earth and find water
in dry riverbeds.
Floppy Ears
Elephants live in hot conditions and need to be able to cool
themselves down. Since they're unable to sweat, they've adapted
another solution. They flap their large ears to help cool the blood in
their capillaries and distribute the cooler blood through their bodies.
This process can lower their blood temperature by more than 10F
Although Asian elephants have smaller ears than their African
cousins, the process is still as effective.
Infrasound Calls
Asian elephants also have very low-pitched sounds called
infrasound, that help them to communicate with each other.
These sounds are below the range that humans can hear. A keen
sense of smell and good hearing makes up for their poor
eyesight due to their small eyes. These calls occurred in a
variety of circumstances. These calls may be important in the
coordination of behavior in thick vegetation or among separated
groups of elephants
Interesting Diet
Since Asian elephants are strictly herbivorous, they have also
developed large molars in their mouths that are used primarily for
chewing and grinding very fibrous plant materials like the cellulose
that makes up plant cell walls. Elephants eat between 330 and 375 lb. of vegetation daily. Sixteen to
eighteen hours, or nearly 80% of an elephant’s day is spent feeding.
Elephants consume grasses, small plants, bushes, fruit, twigs, tree
bark, and roots. Tree bark is a favorite food source for elephants. It
contains calcium and roughage, which aids digestion.
My Resources
http://animals.pawnation.com/adaptations-survival-elephants6658.html
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