Post on 27-Mar-2015
Elephants
ElephantsAsian elephant
Small earsHigh vertical foreheadFemales tusklessProportion of tuskless males varies
LoxodontaAfrican elephant
Large earsReceding forehead
Both sexes usually have tusks
Uses of the trunkUses of the trunk As a toolAs a tool
Grazing & browsingGrazing & browsing Manipulating objectsManipulating objects Moving waterMoving water
As a sense organAs a sense organ TouchTouch SmellSmell
As a social-signaling organAs a social-signaling organ A trumpet that amplifies vocalizationsA trumpet that amplifies vocalizations A bearer of visual signalsA bearer of visual signals A touch-communicatorA touch-communicator
Distribution of Asian elephantElephas maximus
South AsiaSoutheast
Asia
Sumatra
Borneo
Extinct
Mesopotamiaand Syria?
S.E.China
Java(10th century)
African bush elephantLoxodonta africana
Open areas in Africa south of SaharaFormerly slopes of Atlas Mountains
(tamed by Carthaginians)Still in Eritrea
(tamed by Ptolemaic Egyptians, ca. 250 B.C.)
African forest elephantLoxodonta cyclotisAfrican rainforest
Small sizeRound ears
Thin straight tusks
Gangala na Bodio
Catching Indian elephants Catching Indian elephants the last Keddah (Mysore, 1970s)the last Keddah (Mysore, 1970s)
1The tame elephants set out
2The wild elephant herd
that is destined to be caught
3The tame elephants return to the keddah- One of the converging fences seen in background
4The keddah
People come from miles around to watch
5The tame elephants and the wild herd approach the keddah
6The elephants have all entered
the keddah, and the gate has been shut behind them
7 and 8The wild herd is inside the keddah; the tame elephants are herding them towards the sides where they will be roped or trapped
9A wild elephant has been roped by a mahout who has jumped down
10Oher wild
elephants are separated into
holding compartments
11A newly caught young bull is led away between two tame elephants
12A newly caught
cow and calf are led away between two
tame elephants
13Newly caught elephants being taken for their first bath. This has a calming effect
14The newly
caught cow and calf being taken from the
water after their bath
Value of elephants in Asian culture Value of elephants in Asian culture and economyand economy
LoggingChiangmai, Thailand
CeremonialColombo, Sri Lanka
56-year-old bull elephant in musth56-year-old bull elephant in musthnear Kandy, Sri Lankanear Kandy, Sri Lanka
chained to treechained to tree
War elephants, 250-200 War elephants, 250-200 B.C.B.C.
Indian elephants
African elephants
CarthaginianSpain, before Second Punic War218 B.C.
King Demetrius of Bactria
with symbolic elephant helmet
250 B.C.
Seleucus I293-281 B.C.
Tame African elephants Tame African elephants todaytoday
Forest elephants Gangala na Bodio 1950s
Bush elephantsOkavango
2002