An elephant uses its trunk to pick up and throw objects, rub an itchy eye or ear, fills it with water and then pours it into its mouth to drink and also as a snorkel when swimming under water.
It can perform multiple tasks from pushing over heavy trees to picking up the smallest twig. An elephants trunk is both strong and very agile. A human being only has 639 muscles in total. The trunk has more than 40,000 muscles in it which is more than a human has in their whole body. An elephants trunk is both an upper lip and an extension of the nose with two nostrils running through the whole length. One of the most interesting features of an elephant is its trunk. For more detailed information on either the African Elephant or the Asian Elephant, click on the individual images in the picture below. The African is larger, with much larger ears and larger all round in height and length. The larger image will open in a new window, use the close button when finished.īelow you can see some distinct differences between the African elephant and the Asian elephants body structures. Click on the image for a larger look at it. On the left is an anatomy diagram of the internal organs of a female elephant.
Elephants also have a tail that with one swish can whisk away flies and other insects making it the perfect fly swatter. The elephants body is well adapted for the survival of rugged conditions of their habitats in Africa and Asia.Įlephants have strong, long trunks that perform multiple tasks, sharp tusks used for carrying heavy objects and for fighting with, large ears which they flap to keep themselves cool as well as having other functions. All rights reserved.Trunks | Tusks | Teeth | Brain | Hair | Ears | Feet | Skin | Senses and Communication A huge part of our mission is to inspire and educate, this baby is already helping us achieve our mission.Ĭopyright 2024 WTVG via Gray Media Group, Inc. “The team not only has such dedication to our elephants but they have also made every effort to bring our members and followers along for the journey of Renee’s pregnancy. “I couldn’t be prouder of our whole Zoo team,” said Jeff Sailer, president and CEO of the Toledo Zoo. This marks Renee’s third pregnancy through artificial insemination. Renee has been at the Toledo Zoo since 1982, the statement said, and is the herd’s matriarch. The baby’s mother, Renee, is estimated to be about 45 years old, weighing about 8,300 pounds and she reached 8,800 pounds during her pregnancy. “It takes a special team of experts to perform an elephant AI, and we prioritized working with the best professionals within the United States and from around the world to make sure that happened.” “It took months of coordination working with our partners in the field,” said Michael Frushour, general curator of endotherms at the Toledo Zoo. A male elephant named Titan from a zoo in Wichita, Kansas, is the baby’s father. The birth of the baby elephant is the result of artificial insemination, in collaboration with the Elephant Species Survival Plan. The African elephant is an endangered species and the zoo says it provides a safe and enriching home for them while educating the public about preserving and protecting wildlife. Flash photography won’t be allowed and noise must be kept to a minimum. Zoo workers will be managing visitation for the exhibit, with 20 guests allowed in at a time. on Mondays through Fridays, and from 9:30 a.m. Once the baby is debuted, visitors can visit him and his mom Renee from 10 a.m. The public is invited to bring a birthday gift for the elephant calf, with a wishlist setup on Amazon for those interested.
The celebration will be open to the public and will take place at Tembo Trail and will feature activities, scheduled enrichment and talks with the zookeepers. The zoo will also host an Elephant Baby Bash on April 6 to celebrate the elephant’s birthday. The zoo will announce the baby’s name on March 15, right before his public debut on March 16.