5 Things You Never Knew About Elephants

We love elephants at dotcomgiftshop, especially our newest children’s character Elvis the elephant! In celebration of introducing Elvis, we’ve found out 5 of the cutest elephant facts around. 

Fact 1: Girls in charge

Baby elephants often walk underneath their mothers to stay protected from the sun.

African elephant herds of up to 100 individuals are led by the oldest female elephant, the matriarch. She leads her herd across the Savannah in search of food and water. The herd is made up of groups of related females who raise baby elephants collectively. Any male elephants leave the herd at around 14 years old and lead solitary lives or live with other males.

Fact 2: The closest living relative to elephants are rock hyraxes

In South Africa, the rock hyrax is commonly referred to as the dassie.

Believe it or not these cute little creatures roaming sub-saharan Africa and the Middle East are the elephant's closest living relative. Although rock hyraxes look like rodents, they have mini tusk-like teeth and flat nails just like an elephant. And like their larger relative they have excellent hearing and fantastic memories.

Fact 3: Elephants can pick up a single grain of rice with their trunk

Elephants can hear each other trumpeting up to 6 miles away.

An elephant’s trunk has 40,000 muscles in it and is so dextrous it can pick up a grain of rice. They use their trunks for grasping objects, communicating with each other, and for detecting water. An elephant's sense of smell is four times better than a bloodhound's and they can smell water from miles away. Elephants also use their trunks to spray mud and dirt on themselves, protecting their sensitive skin against the sun.

Fact 4: Elephants can recognise themselves in a mirror

Happy was named after Snow White's seven dwarfs.
Image: Joshua Plotnik, Frans de Waal, Diana Reiss

In 2006 an Asian elephant called Happy successfully recognised herself in the mirror. Scientists drew a white X just above Happy’s eye, which she repeatedly touched with her trunk when facing the mirror - 12 times in 90 seconds. She ignored a colourless mark above her other eye, placed there to make sure she was reacting to sight and not feeling or scent, proving she knew the white mark was on her face and where it was! The only other animals known to be self aware are humans, great apes and dolphins.

Fact 5: Elephants are excellent swimmers

Young elephants will often play together in the water.

Elephants are strong swimmers and love the water.They can even walk along riverbeds, staying under the water and using their trunk as a snorkel. In fact, they are such good swimmers that domesticated Asian elephants are often used in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to transport people, goods and lumber across the water.

Introducing Elvis the Elephant from dotcomgiftshop...
 

Fact: Elvis’s favourite snack is peanuts

Pictured above: Elvis the Elephant cushion £12.95, Elvis the Elephant melamine set £15.00, Elvis the Elephant drawstring bag £8.95

Meet our very own elephant! Elvis likes long walks, peanuts and playing hide and seek. Welcome him into your home with toys and decorations! Check out the full range now.