CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO

Vernacular Name:  African elephant

Scientific Name:  Loxodonta africana

Class:  Mammalia  Order:  Proboscidea Family:  Elephantidae

Geographic Range:  Tropical Africa

Habitat:
· Forest Elephant - dense tropical forests.
· Bush Elephant - marginal plains, open and forested areas.

Physical Characteristics:
· Largest land mammal.
· Males average 11 feet tall, weigh about 6 tons (5,455 kg).
· Females generally smaller/
· Large fan- shaped ears.
· Trunk is nose and upper lip.
· Ivory tusks are elongated, curved, upper incisor teeth.
· Poor vision, keen hearing and sense of smell.
· Thick, almost hairless, skin (pachyderm).
· Thick, straight, columnar legs; short, broad, pad-like feet.

Adaptations:
· Trunk: two finger-like projections, one above and one below, at tip.
· Trunk contains nearly 150,000 muscles (148,198 to be exact).
· Trunk used to locate food and water; to detect enemies; to examine objects and to give dust or water baths.
· Tusks are used to dig for food and as weapons.
· Protective herding.
· Complex set of social rules and regulations. Disciplined matriarchal society.
· No permanent home; constantly wanders in search of food.
· Uses infra-sound ( below human hearing) to communicate long distances.

Ecological Niche:
· Primary consumer, mainly browser.
· Crepuscular.

Reproduction:
· Gestation period 18 months.
· Single, precocial calf (rarely two).
· Young born weighing 260 lbs (118 kg) standing almost 3 ft (90 cm) tall.
· Newborn nurses 2 1/2 gal (9.5 1) of milk a day and will nurse until 5 or 6 years old.
· Doubles in weight and height in first 5 years.
· Fully grown by age 30.
· Potential life span is 60 years.
· No definite breeding season.

Predator/Prey:
· Chief predator is man.
· Leopards/lions will attack young.

Conservation:
· Endangered due to poaching for tusks and loss of habitat.
· In the Species Survival Plan program.
· International Elephant Foundation has projects to protect it.

Other Information:
· Rigorous grooming.
· Mud wallow helps cool.
· Mud pack plus powdered earth coats hide and protects against tropical sun and insects.
· Rubbing against trees or termite hills pulverizes parasites.
· Walks at about 4 mph (6.4 kph); walks fast at 25 mph (40 kph) for short distances.  Cannot run.

Zoo Diet:  Alfalfa, Timothy hay, grain mixture, vitamin supplement.

Location at Zoo:  Elephant house and yard above African Rift Valley.

CMZoo Homepage

4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road Colorado Springs, CO  80906 Phone(719)633-9925  Fax (719)633-2254