Since we are near from World Elephant Day which is celebrated on August, the 12th , I decided to share with you some amazing facts about these beloved animals.

here's a picture I took one year ago of an elephant with his baby

The longest pregnancy in the animal kingdom

In fact, this animal's pregnancy last 22 months from conception to birth. An elephant is able to give birth every three to four years, however the will only have four calves in their lifetime.

A very keen sense of smell

If you're on Safari, and see an elephant lift its trunk in your direction, then this elephant is smelling you. Even though, these creature have a poor eyesight, their sense of smell is so strong.

Blind when young

Have you ever known that baby elephants are born blind ? but still, they manage to stand up immediately !

How heavy is an elephant's ear ?

Actually, elephants have large, but thin ears that contain a complex network of blood vessels helping them to regulate their body temperature. Now for the main question, how much do an ear weigh ? 100 pounds for an African Male elephant!

Why do they play in the water ?

You may first think that these animals play in the water just for fun. But it's not the case. Elephants take advantage of this, the buoyancy they experience when swimming gives their leg joints a much-needed break.

Elephants do walk on their toes

Despite the massive size of their huge feet, they actually walk on their toes. A study of their walking patterns, have found that elephants put the most pressure on the outer toes of their front feet and the least amount of pressure on their heels.

Elephants have a strong memory

You may have heard that an elephant never forgets. Research has proven that they are extremely smart. And their memories are vital during the dry season, when matriarchs guide their herds, over for countless miles, to watering holes they’ve visited in the past.

How long do elephants live ?

An Elephant’s life expectancy is between 60 to 70 years old. The oldest on record– an Asian Elephant named Lin Wang– died at the ripe old age of 86.