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The Elephant Family Structure
by Andrew Keet
Elephant family structure is quite different than other animals. Traveling in different herd or families you will find the male and female elephants. They do not travel together in herds of different sexes. The exception being male calves, they do travel with the females. They develop close ties with the females of their herd. At the age of nine to some where around eighteen the males have to break off into another herd. It can take them upwards of four years to accomplish this. The adolescent male elephant must then learn the new rules and where he stands in the herd. Which is easier to do with their wonderful social skills.
The female herd has what is known as a matriarch that leads the family. Under the leadership of the matriarch is her daughters, which usually have calves. The matriarch has between three and four daughters usually. The elephant herd consist of between six and twelve elephants, they can have more. But it isn't likely.
Elephants tend to share their emotions with their herd members. They have several emotions just like humans do, they show happiness, sadness, contentment, fury, compassion. The list goes on and on. They also love to play games, that is in most part to their sense of humor. Which is rare to find in an animal. They also celebrate when a calf is born.
Grieving is another emotion that elephants display. Due to the fact that elephants live as long as humans they tend to make long lasting relationships. If an elephant in the family dies, the other members of the herd mourn their loss. The death of a calf or even the birth of a still born calf is cause for great grief among elephants. You can tell they are feeling these emotions by the drooping ears, and the sunken, sad eyes.
Surprisingly there have been documentation of lifelong friendships between elephants. They value each other and the structure of their family. Elephants enjoy the interaction they have with one another, they are quite sociable with each other. Elephants celebrate by sounding their trunks when they see a friend they have not seen in a while. The birth of a calf is another reason to celebrate among the elephants.
The elephant family chooses to do most things together. They hunt for food and water as a group. They walk in a single file line and the leader of this line is the matriarch. The other elephants walk behind her and the calves use their trunks to grab hold of their mothers tail. If their is a danger present the other females surround the calves to keep them safe.
About the Author
South Africa has been Andrew Keets home for almost fifty years where elephant's are plentiful in many game reserves giving him the chance to watch the elephant's family structure.
Beirut - Elephant Gun
Beirut - Elephant Gun directed by Alma Har'el
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