Elephantastic Facts – Fascinating Elephant Facts

48 large mammal species find refuge and protection within the 31,000 hectares of Mashatu Game Reserve.  If we had to pick one as the iconic species, it would have to be the African Elephant. Mashatu is home to the largest population of these gentle giants on privately owned land in Africa.

Whether you are out on a game drive, cycling, walking or spending time in our photographic hide where encounters are up close and personal, you are almost guaranteed to have an incredible encounter with the largest living land mammal in the world.

Here are some interesting facts to contemplate while watching them go about their lives in their natural habitat.

Tusk facts:

• Elephant tusks are elongated incisor teeth that are found on both males and females, however, not all elephants have tusks due to a genetic mutation. This mostly occurs in female elephants, and as with most elephant populations in Africa, Mashatu has some tuskless elephants.
• Elephant tusks grow throughout their life and can they weigh up to 45kg each. Unlike their other teeth, they only have one set of tusks and if they lose them they will not regrow.
• Elephants use their tusks to dig for water in dry river beds, strip bark from trees and as a weapon.
• Just like humans they tend to be left-tusk or right-tusk dominant. You can tell by the tusk that is more worn down which side is their dominant side.

Trunk facts:

• An elephant’s trunk has over 40,000 muscles and can weigh as much as 140kg.
• This one appendage serves as a nose, hand, tool and weapon. It can be used to push down a tree, pick up a feather or comfort a distressed calf.
• Elephants use their trunks to syphon water and then pour it from their trunk into their mouth to drink. They can hold up to 12 litres of water in their trunks.

• They also use their trunks to spray water, mud or dust over themselves.
• Elephant calves only learn to use their trunks by about 6-8 months, and watching them play and learn to use their trunks can be very comical.

Eating and drinking:

• They consume between 150 and 200kg of food a day (4-7% of their body weight).
• They only ingest about 40-50% leaving an awful lot to come out – about 100kg of poop a day.
• In a day, an elephant can drink 200 liters (50 gallons) of water.

Fun facts:

• Elephants can swim and use their trunks as snorkels.
• Elephants are the only mammal that cannot jump.

Nothing is more fascinating and rewarding than sitting quietly watching herds of elephants interact within their own herd and with other herds.  These iconic mammals require a vast habitat, and fortunately in this Land of Giants, we have a massive 31,000 hectares in which they can find refuge.

By Janet Kleyn