Can elephants dive? Seafaring Elephants

Photos of Rajan the elephant swimming in ocean depths, went around the entire Internet. They were accompanied by catchy headlines such as “The Only Elephant Swimming”, “The Last Elephant Swimming”, subtly instilling in readers the idea that the elephant swimmer was an exceptional phenomenon. In fact, it is a matter of time for an elephant to swim from Africa to Alaska.
It has long been known that elephants can swim. They are not afraid to plunge headlong into the water; they can swim or walk along the bottom, breathing with the help of a trunk sticking out above the water like a periscope. Not long ago, a case was observed in India when a herd of elephants swam across the Ganges delta for six hours. During floods, which are quite common in India, elephants sometimes have to swim for days on end, covering tens of kilometers. But it’s one thing to sail along a river or flooded area and quite another to plow the seas. However, elephants are capable of this too. Residents of the Andaman Islands taught the gray giants to swim from one island to another so as not to have to worry about transporting them. Under the supervision of mahouts, the elephants swam, covering distances of several miles. It happened that they conquered the ocean out of their own need. For example, crossing the strait between Africa and the island of Zanzibar is a repeatedly recorded fact.
And yet, an elephant swimming in the ocean, not just from one island to another, but plowing, so to speak, open spaces, is a phenomenon that is difficult to comprehend modern man. Elephant in open ocean?! - Do not you say!
This is exactly what the South African farmer Hag Balance, who lived in the province of Natal near Margat, thought in 1920. His house stood on the ocean, and one November morning he noticed that something strange was happening half a kilometer from the shore. It looked like there was a battle of giants going on in the water. The farmer ran into the house to get binoculars and, with his help, saw two fighting killer whales and some other animal, whose members kept appearing above the water. He was not the only one who noticed the seething near the shore. Soon a whole crowd of observers gathered on the beach. At some point, the farmer recognized the third animal and exclaimed in amazement: “It’s an elephant! I see an elephant! They laughed at him, however, everyone who looked through binoculars was forced to agree with the obvious: “Well, yes, an elephant...”
The battle in the water lasted quite a long time. Then the killer whales swam away, and the carcass of the third participant in the battle continued to sway lifelessly on the waves. At night, what was left of the elephant washed up on the shore - parts of the wounded body and tusks. For several days, these remains rotted on the beach, poisoning the area with a stench. In the end, local residents They drove a herd of bulls and dragged the carcass back into the water. The next day she was carried away somewhere by the low tide. The local newspaper reported on this strange incident.
The article was reprinted by the London Daily Mail, but an elephant specialist from the Regent Zoo responsibly stated in the comment below that everything said was nonsense; the elephant could not swim in the ocean. In response, the editor received many letters from readers who talked about how they personally observed elephants swimming along the mouths of large rivers. And an emigrant from New Zealand told an ancient fact, widely known in those places: at the end of the 19th century, an elephant skeleton, fairly battered by the waves, but quite recognizable, washed up on the shore in Queensland (Australia).
However, it turned out to be psychologically difficult to believe that land heavyweights can swim for a long time at a depth exceeding their own height. However, the facts kept coming.
In 1930, a miracle happened on Glacier Island in Alaska - an elephant carcass was caught there, and the elephant, going to this last voyage, was clearly not old.
In 1944, an elephant also washed up on the shores of the Kintyre Peninsula, in western Scotland between the Firth of Clyde and the North Channel (though without a head, but this did not stop it from being identified). One can imagine how surprised the local residents were when they discovered the remains.
In 1955, elephants (or rather, what was left of them) were discovered off the coast of New Zealand (near Wellington), as well as on the coast of Japan.
In March 1971, an elephant's body floated to England, namely to Cornwall. A few months later, English fishermen, barely leaving the port of Grimsby in the North Sea, lifted nets with a very strange catch on board the trawler Ampoule: in addition to herring and cod, the carcass of a young African elephant was entangled in the nets...
How could these land giants end up so far from their homes? Nobody knew the answer, but the fact itself was firmly established. Zoologists put forward different versions: maybe the elephants died near the ocean, and their carcasses were simply carried away by the tide? But then the sea salt should have eaten away their skins long ago, at least long before the current dragged them from south to north. However, all the elephant carcasses, with the exception of one, were simply surprisingly well preserved. This means that elephants remained alive at sea for quite a long time. Were they just floating in the ocean? Zoologists didn’t want to hear about this.
But time passed, facts accumulated. In 1976, strange photographs sent by one of the readers appeared in a Cornish newspaper. In the letter attached to them, the woman said that in the photo there was a “sea serpent” taken in the town of Trefusis Point in the local river. At first glance, it became clear that this was not a snake at all, but an elephant with its head and part of its body out of the water. However, it turned out to be easier for people to believe in the “sea serpent”. Fortunately, we remembered the story from five years ago and put two facts together. By the way, the reader herself, who sent the pictures, was sure that at the time of shooting the “snake” was alive.
Literally three years later, in July 1979, it was possible to establish for sure that elephants actually swim long distances. Confirmation of this was published in the next issue of New Scientist. In the photograph taken by Admiral Kadirgam thirty kilometers off the coast of Sri Lanka, an elephant of a local breed is seen swimming in the ocean, and its body is clearly visible in the photograph. Under the pressure of facts, skeptical zoologists were forced to admit: yes, elephants can swim on the seas and oceans.
True, for ordinary people this fact remained out of the ordinary. In 1982, Scottish fishermen from the city of Aberdeen again netted an elephant carcass in the North Sea. Zoologists were no longer surprised. The same cannot be said about Aberdeen fishermen.

For many years, the Andaman Islands, southeast of India, used Indian elephants for heavy labor and also for ferrying cargo. In order not to transport overweight animals, elephants were taught to swim. If necessary, under the careful supervision of the mahouts, the elephants swam from island to island. Nowadays, there is no need for elephants. They have been replaced by modern technology.

From the previous population of “waterfowl” elephants, only 60-year-old Rajan remains. The five-ton elephant is still swimming. True, due to his advanced age, he swims less and less: twice a day for five minutes.

Brazilian photographer Daniel Botelho traveled to the Andaman Islands in Indian Ocean to learn the story of Rajan the elephant.

Daniel Botelho says: “While planning a trip to the Andaman Islands, I was amazed to learn that there was only one floating Indian elephant left on earth. In India, elephants have been used for work since time immemorial. They had to be transported from one island to another, so the eared giants were taught to swim. About 15 years ago, ships and trucks appeared on the islands, becoming a much more efficient method of transportation. As a result, almost all elephants were sold to the continent or to international zoos. Only Rajan remained - the last floating elephant."

Daniel Botelho says: “At first I thought filming the swimming elephant would be very easy, but as soon as we got there, the difficulties began.”
(Daniel Botelho)

Since Rajan is already at an advanced age, he swims only twice for 5 minutes a day, and not every day, and only at 5:30 in the morning to avoid big waves.
(Daniel Botelho)

Daniel Botelho reports: “Fortunately, during my trip, which lasted 7 days, Rajan decided to swim several times.”
(Daniel Botelho)

Daniel Botelho says: “To photograph the elephant, I chose a Nikon D3 camera with Nikkor 16 mm and D3X and Nikkor 14-24mm lenses. These cameras are ideal for sunrise and sunset photography in low light.”
(Daniel Botelho)

Beach No. 7, where Rajan swims, is amazing, as many guidebooks say, calling it the most beautiful beach in Asia.
(Daniel Botelho)

Daniel Botelho says: “To get to the Andaman Islands, I first had to fly for several hours by plane, and then sail for 3 hours on an Indian warship provided by the government.”
(Daniel Botelho)

Daniel Botelho says: “During this trip, I decided to photograph the perfect waves at sunset and thought how cool it would be if Rajan decided to swim with the last rays of the sun.”
(Daniel Botelho)

Daniel Botelho says: “For five minutes, Rajan, a very gentle and friendly elephant, came into the water with me at sunset, and I took these amazing shots.”
(Daniel Botelho)

Swimming elephant at sunset.
(Daniel Botelho)

Today there are many myths and rumors about elephants, and many have no idea which of all this is true and which is pure fiction. Some are even afraid of these animals because people have a misconception about them. Therefore, it is worth understanding what an elephant can do and what remains incomprehensible to it.

Briefly about elephants

In fact, this huge animal has a good-natured character. If you do not handle it roughly, it will not harm a person. On average, an adult reaches about five tons. The heart of this animal weighs on average 20-30 kilograms. The average is 70 years. At 50 years old, female elephants stop giving birth. Unfortunately, due to poaching, these animals die before reaching old age. Elephants live in herds, in which the adult female takes on the role of leader. Usually in this family everyone is related to each other, and if one member of the group dies, the rest suffer greatly from the loss of a loved one. The interesting thing is that these good-natured people know how to rejoice and even laugh. When they meet, they tenderly hug with their trunks.

Elephant and sea

Today there is much debate about whether elephants can swim. These questions are not surprising, since it may indeed seem impossible for such a mass to float on the surface of the water and not sink to the bottom.

A little more about water

It is also known that elephants do not just swim, sometimes diving to the bottom, they are able to overcome long distances from shore to shore. Some watched this animal swim for several kilometers, after which it continued its journey on land. In addition, they can dive deep, using theirs as a snorkel. Also on resort islands A bathing elephant is an attraction for children who are not averse to keeping this animal company. Seeing such a spectacle, the question of whether elephants can swim will probably disappear. It can also be noted that they love water very much and can feel the moisture from another eight kilometers away.

Let's dispel the rumors

Since elephants are the oldest animals, over many centuries different ideas have developed about them, especially among those peoples who have never “communicated” with these animals. By exploring the character and habits of the good “hulks,” you can learn and dispel five more facts and five myths about elephants. Let's start by discussing the main myths about these animals and finding out how true they are.

What the facts say

It will also be interesting to learn a few facts about these good-natured land creatures.

1. Elephants have excellent hearing, in addition to which they have sensitive feet. They use them to detect tremors in the ground. They can use their feet to determine where the sound came from.
2. The closest relative of the elephant is the small animal gray hyrax. The structure of their skulls and legs are very similar.
3. Elephants do not lose their tusks; they sit deep in the skull. To get this bone, poachers kill animals. About it terrible fact Another 70% of the world's population do not know.
4. These animals have approximately 2.5 cm, but at the same time it is so sensitive that the elephant feels even when a fly lands on it. In addition, the skin can get burned, which is why the animal takes cover in the shade and throws sand on its head.
5. If a mouse gets into the trunk of an animal, it can “shoot” it.

Which tree leaves turn red in autumn?

Correct answer: leaves turn red on rowan, maple and aspen.

Why do rabbits constantly chew something?

This is how they wear down their teeth.

Who can a fox live in the same hole with?
With a badger.

Which animal is the cleanest?
Badger.

Are toads poisonous?
Yes, it's a toad yeah.

Can elephants swim?

Yes, these giants are great swimmers. They also love to play in the water and frolic. They can also lie down almost completely in the water, with only their trunk sticking out.

Which animal will give birth to babies in the fall? Whose babies are called deciduous?

Answer: A hare's cubs are born in the fall. This is where the cute name for these babies came from.

Why are older moose called elk?

Because its horns are similar to an ancient agricultural tool - a plow.

Who has the biggest ears?

In hares, rabbits, elephants, the long-eared jerboa, donkeys and fennec foxes.

Where do crayfish spend the winter?
They spend the winter in burrows that they build along river banks.

Where is it more convenient for a hare to run - downhill or uphill? Why?
It is easy for a hare to run upstairs - its hind legs are long. But you have to roll head over heels in them - otherwise you might get tangled in your legs.
Does an elephant have hair or fur?
The elephant's powerful body is covered with thick and rough skin. It is dotted with numerous deep wrinkles. Adult elephants are practically hairless, and newborn elephant calves are covered with sparse, stiff bristles. The color of elephants is uniform gray or brownish.

Does he hunt? polar bear on penguins?

This is impossible, since penguins and bears live at different poles.

Where do frogs hide for the winter?

They can overwinter in barns and barns. And those that live far from people bury themselves in sand, silt, and mud. The forest ones hide in the moss.
Who sleeps upside down in winter?
Bat. By the way, mice, when they fly to their favorite cave for the winter, always sleep in the same place with an accuracy of 1 cm.

How much does an elephant weigh?
African elephants grow up to 4 meters in height and weigh 5-7 tons. Indian ones are smaller, their height is 2.5-3.5 meters, and their weight is from 3 to 5 tons.

The trunk is not a nose, as many people think, but a completely unique organ formed by the fused nose and upper lip. Moreover, the trunk has its own system of powerful muscles and tendons. Thanks to this structure, the trunk has both strength and flexibility. The power of the trunk is such that with its help the elephant is able to destroy trees and lift logs. At the end of the trunk there is a mobile and sensitive outgrowth, with the help of which the elephant is able to touch and manipulate the smallest objects. Elephants recognize the texture of various surfaces well; they can, for example, pick up coins or paint with a brush. The trunk plays an irreplaceable role in the life of an elephant: the animal needs it to obtain food, protect itself, and communicate.
Elephants also drink water with the help of their trunk, because a tall and short-necked elephant cannot drink with its mouth. Only baby elephants can suck their mothers with their mouths, while adult elephants suck in water with their trunks and then pour them into their mouths. Elephants, deprived of their trunks due to injury, try to graze on their knees, but eventually die.

At the crocodile.

What do ants do in winter?
They close all the entrances and exits from the anthill, gather them all together in a big pile and wait for warmer weather.

Last week, representatives of a number of African and Asian countries agreed to jointly protect elephants. Among other things, the agreement provides for cooperation in the search and arrests of poachers and expansion of the powers of environmental agencies of the countries of the Black Continent in the fight against criminal gangs hunting the largest land animals on the planet.

Elephants are in danger of extinction. Every 15 minutes, one elephant dies at the hands of poachers on the Dark Continent. If the extermination of the largest land animals continues at the same pace, then by 2025 there will not be a single elephant left in the African shrouds.

Tanzania, for example, has already lost half of its elephants over the past three years. In 2009, according to various estimates, from 70 to 80 thousand elephants lived in this African country, that is, almost a quarter of the entire elephant population of Africa, and now - half that.

According to the US Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, the trade in elephant tusks, rhinoceros horns, skins and other trophies from illegal safaris has doubled in the past five years to reach $10 billion. In terms of profitability, this type of criminal activity is in fourth place.

Not only animal activists, but also politicians must fight poachers. Money from the sale of ivory, which in Africa is often called the “white gold of jihad,” finances terrorist organizations. Including Al-Shabaab, which became notorious for its recent hostage-taking in mall in Nairobi.

There are the most incredible rumors about elephants. Before defending them, it would be a good idea to first understand what is true and what is fiction in them.

1. Elephants use their trunks as straws when drinking.

Elephants actually use their trunks at watering holes. They actually take water into their trunk, but then transfer it to their mouth. By the way, elephants drink a lot - on average from 140 to 230 liters per day.

2. Elephants love peanuts.

This is a pure myth, because the largest land animals do not eat peanuts either in the wild or in zoos. Considering the size of elephants, it is not surprising that O they eat most of the time. They spend 16-18 hours daily doing this activity. There is nothing in peanuts that repels these animals or is contraindicated for them. It’s just that the nuts are very small, and even 25 hours in a day are not enough for elephants to get enough of them.

3. Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.

It's true that adult elephants can't jump, but they aren't the only ones who can't. There are many other mammals that also cannot jump. For example, sloths, hippos and rhinoceroses. True, unlike elephants, hippos and rhinoceroses can simultaneously lift all four legs off the ground while running.

4. Elephants never forget.

The largest land animals actually have excellent, but still not phenomenal, memory. The basis of their learning process is imitation. They have the heaviest brain among land animals, which weighs 5 kg. After training, they are able to distinguish and carry out over 60 commands. Elephants remember their trainers well and can remember them after many years.

5. Elephants are too heavy to swim.

On the contrary, elephants love water very much and can detect its smell at a distance of up to 8 km. Not only do they love water, but they are also excellent swimmers. There are cases when they used their trunks as breathing tubes for diving.

1. Elephants “hear” with their feet.

Elephants have excellent hearing, but African elephants, in addition to this, are able to detect earth tremors using special sensitive cells on the soles of their feet. Elephants not only hear a sound, but can also determine the direction from which it is coming.

2. The elephant's closest relative is an animal similar to a guinea pig.

Gray hyraxes are small, furry, rat-like mammals that live in the mountainous regions of Africa and along the coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Oddly enough, elephants and hyraxes actually have a lot in common in the structure of their toes, teeth and skull. Biologists believe that they had a common ancestor who lived about 60 million years ago.

3. On Chinese"ivory" means "ivory tooth".

Even though elephants' tusks are actually elongated incisors, they do not fall out like they do in humans. In China, where the ivory trade is thriving, not everyone understands that elephants are killed to obtain it. According to surveys, about 70% of the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom do not know this.

4. Elephants have unusually thick skin.

The scientific term pachyderm, used to refer to the order of mammals that includes elephants and rhinoceroses, comes from the Greek word pachydermose, which translates to “thick-skinned.” Despite its great thickness, elephant skin is unusually sensitive. So much so that the elephant feels when... a fly lands on its back.

Elephants' skin is not only sensitive, but also vulnerable. Elephants can get sunburned and therefore hide in the shade or throw sand on their heads and backs to protect their skin from the sun.

5. Elephants are very sociable and social animals.

An elephant herd usually consists of 10-15 female elephants and calves. It is headed by the most experienced elephant. Having reached the age of maturity - 12-15 years, males leave the herd and return only to mate with a female. By the way, the process of bearing offspring in elephants is the longest among land animals. Pregnancy lasts 22 months.

Elephants greet each other by carefully touching the mouth of their interlocutor with the tip of their trunk. They sleep standing up and for only two to three hours. They can’t go any longer because they have to eat.