Content
- elephant feeding
- What do elephants eat in captivity
- What do wild elephants eat
- The elephant's trunk in its feeding
The elephant is one of the big five in Africa, that is, it is one of the five powerful animals on this continent. It is no coincidence that it is the largest herbivore in the world.
However, elephants can also be found in Asia. Whether you are an African or an Asian elephant, you have certainly thought about how much and what elephants eat to be so big.
Don't worry, in this Animal Expert article we explain everything about elephant feeding.
elephant feeding
elephants are herbivorous animals, that is, they only eat plants. This fact catches the attention of many people, as it seems strange that an animal of an elephant's wingspan only eats herbs and vegetables.
But one thing we must take into account is that an elephant eat about 200 kilograms of food per day. There are some people who believe that elephants can consume the vegetation of an entire region due to the high amounts of food they need.
Despite this, elephants move around continuously, thus allowing the vegetation to regenerate continuously.
One of the problems these mammals have is that they only digest 40% of what they eat. Today, the reason for this to be so is still unknown. In addition, they are forced to drink a lot of water, something they do with the help of their trunk. They need to drink some a day 130 liters of water.
Elephants use their horns to dig deep into the earth in their relentless search for water. On the other hand, they also eat roots from which they can absorb some water.
What do elephants eat in captivity
Elephant keepers can give you:
- cabbage
- lettuces
- Sugar cane
- Apples
- bananas
- vegetables
- Hay
- acacia leaf
Remember that a captive elephant is a stressed and forced animal and will work according to man's will. Something the elephant definitely doesn't deserve. Many of the practices that are used are really cruel. help them and do not encourage the use of animals as work tools.
What do wild elephants eat
Wild elephants eat the following:
- Tree leaves
- Herb
- Flowers
- Wild fruits
- branches
- bushes
- Bamboo
The elephant's trunk in its feeding
The elephant's trunk is not just for drinking water. In fact, this part of the elephant's body is very important for it to get its food.
Its large footprint and musculature allows it to use the trunk like a hand and in that way take the leaves and fruits from the highest branches of the trees. It has always been said that elephants are very intelligent and their way of using their trunk is a good demonstration of this.
If they are unable to reach some branches, they can shake the trees so that their leaves and fruit fall to the ground. In this way they also make it easier to obtain food for their offspring. We must not forget that elephants always travel in a herd.
If this weren't enough, elephants are able to cut down a tree to eat its leaves. Finally, they can also eat the bark of the most woody part of certain plants if they are hungry and cannot find other food.
If you are an elephant enthusiast, we recommend that you read the following articles:
- how much does an elephant weigh
- how long does an elephant live
- How long does an elephant's gestation last