These magnificent 8 Elephants were captured on 10.10.15 at the De La Porte Windmill, on the road between Skukuza and Pretoriuskop, Kruger National Park, South Africa. The African Elephant Loxodonta a genus, comprising 2 living elephant species: The African Bush Elephant L.africana and thesmaller African forest elephant L.cyclotis Both herbivores and live in groups. They have grey skin,folded and up to 30mm 1.2in thick, covered with sparse dark brown to black hair. Short tactile hair grow on the trunk, which has two fingerlike processes on the tip. The size of their ears and tusks and the shape and size of their skull also differs. Their large ears helps to reduce body heat. Flapping them creates air currents and exposes the ear`s inner sides, where large blood vesels increase heat loss during hot weather. The trunk is a prehensile elongation of it`s upper lip and nose. This highly sensitive organ is innervated primarly by the trigeminal nerve. Manipulated by about 40-60,000 muscles. It is so strong that they can lift 3% of their own bodyweight. It is used for smelling, touching, feeding, drinking,dusting, producing sounds, loading defending and attacking. They sometimes swim underwater and use their trunks as snorkels.Both species listed as vulnerable on the UICN Red list since 2004. scource: www.wikipedia.org
Treatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. Poaching for ivory trade as well.
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