Elephants are durable, majestic creatures, but the average American doesn’t know much about them. From their intricate social structures to their undeniable intelligence, there’s no shortage of interesting elephant facts for us to discover.
Here at Fahlo, we have an infinite curiosity for these gigantic creatures and we’re also deeply determined to protect their existence. These reasons are why we’ve created a line of jewelry and plushes that supports the conservation and research efforts of nonprofits like Save The Elephants.
To deepen your knowledge, we’ve curated a list below of the 10 most interesting facts about elephants. Our hope is that you’ll walk away from this list with a greater appreciation for these wondrous animals.
ELEPHANT FACT #1: THEY TAKE DECADES TO FINISH GROWING
This is one of the interesting facts about the elephant that sets them apart from many other creatures. While humans grow to their full size in the first quarter of their lifespan, male elephants can take as long as 40 years to finish growing as adults.
Wild elephants live just a few years short of a human lifespan at a range of 60-70 years. That means they spend more than half their lives growing.
With that being said, elephants are large animals from birth—in fact, newborn male African elephants can weigh over 250 pounds. Another interesting fact about elephants is that they may even grow to be nearly 50 times that size as adults.
ELEPHANT FACT #2: THEY ARE THE LARGEST ANIMALS ON LAND
Here’s another interesting fact about elephants: while the largest whales can dwarf them in size, African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. They’re slightly larger than their counterparts in Asia, with male African elephants weighing over 12,000 pounds in some cases.
Another interesting fact about elephants is that males from Africa can also reach up to 13 feet from their shoulders to the ground. That’s more than twice the height of the average human. Meanwhile, Asian elephants are a little smaller, but they’re still massive compared to most other land animals.
ELEPHANT FACT #3: THEIR TRUNKS ARE EXTRAORDINARILY VERSATILE
Elephants are known for their trunks, but most people don’t realize just how powerful those tools really are. Another interesting fact about the elephant is that it has something like 150,000 different muscle units in its trunk.
This makes this unique body part a surprisingly helpful instrument for a variety of tasks. An elephant trunk can hold nearly ten liters of water, and it can also be used to do something as precise as shelling peanuts.
ELEPHANT FACT #4: THEY HAVE MUCH THICKER SKIN THAN HUMANS
Human skin is only a few millimeters thick, while elephant skin is typically more than two full centimeters. Their famous wrinkles give them the ability to retain water and cool down as needed, which is highly convenient in much of their natural habitat.
Another related interesting elephant fact is that they also take “baths” in mud and dust to protect their skin. By doing so, they’re able to remove debris and avoid sun damage.
ELEPHANT FACT #5: THEY GROW UP FAST
We mentioned that elephants take decades to fully grow, but that doesn’t mean that young elephants need to be taken care of. While newborn humans take years to walk, talk, and interact with others, baby elephants can stand and walk within a few hours.
Another interesting fact about elephants is that it only takes them around two days to keep up with adults. Because of this, new elephants barely cause any delay for the rest of the pack.
ELEPHANT FACT #6: THEY HAVE REMARKABLE MEMORY
One of the most interesting facts about elephants is their incredible memory. Elephants have been observed remembering old routes, waterholes, and even other elephants they haven't seen in years.
Their brains, which are the largest of any land animal, play a significant role in this. This ability aids in their survival, allowing them to recall locations of water sources during droughts or remember dangers from the past.
ELEPHANT FACT #7: THEIR CULTURE REVOLVES AROUND FEMALES
This is one of the most compelling facts about elephant social structures. Elephants live in matriarchal societies, meaning the eldest female leads the herd.
The matriarch uses her years of experience to guide the herd to food and water sources and keep them safe from predators. When she passes, another older female, usually her eldest daughter, takes on this critical leadership role.
ELEPHANT FACT #8: THEY HAVE UNIQUE WAY OF COMMUNICATING
Truly, this is one of the most interesting facts about elephants and their advanced communication abilities. Beyond their audible trumpets, elephants use infrasound (low-frequency sound) to communicate with each other over long distances.
These sounds, which are below the range of human hearing, can travel several kilometers. This form of communication is particularly beneficial when herds need to convey messages about threats, directions, or mating calls.
ELEPHANT FACT #9: THEY LIVE EMOTION-FILLED LIVES
From joy and love to grief and anger, elephants are known to exhibit a wide range of emotions. They mourn the loss of their herd members, sometimes standing beside the deceased for hours and touching the body with their trunks.
Baby elephants, or calves, are the center of attention within the herd and receive immense affection and care. Observing these emotional displays gives more depth to our understanding of these majestic creatures.
ELEPHANT FACT #10: THEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN REGULATING THEIR HABITATS
Playing the role of "ecosystem engineers," elephants have a profound impact on their environment. By feeding on certain plants, they prevent some species from dominating, ensuring biodiversity.
Additionally, their dung plays a vital role as it disperses seeds and facilitates plant growth. Understanding this interesting fact about the elephant ecosystem contribution emphasizes these animals’ importance in maintaining a balanced habitat.
CLOSING THE BOOK OF THE MOST INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ELEPHANTS
Now you know that elephants are captivating creatures thanks to their majestic nature and deep-seated intelligence. They continue to appear naturally in Africa and Asia, but their population has declined dramatically over the last several generations.
With the elephant population dwindling, it has never been more important to increase awareness of this unique animal. Make sure to check out our website for more information about what we’re doing to protect elephants as well as other threatened species.