A Family Affair

This image was taken at the Houston Zoo.... more

by TN Fairey

Title

A Family Affair

Artist

TN Fairey

Medium

Photograph - Photographs - Animal Photographs

Description

This image was taken at the Houston Zoo.
The Asian or Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus) is the only living species of the genus Elephas and is distributed in Southeast Asia from India and Nepal in the west to Borneo in the east. Asian elephants are the largest living land animals in Asia.
Since 1986, they have been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as the population has declined by at least 50 percent over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years. Asian elephants are primarily threatened by degradation, fragmentation, loss of habitat, and poaching. In 2003, the wild population was estimated at between 41,410 and 52,345 individuals. Female captive elephants have lived beyond 60 years when kept in semi-natural surroundings, such as forest camps. Asian elephants have been domesticated for thousands of years. The powerful beasts have been employed to move heavy objects, such as felled trees, to carry humans on their backs, and even to wage war.
Elephant ears radiate heat to help keep these large animals cool, but sometimes that isn't enough. Elephants are fond of water and enjoy showering by sucking water into their trunks and spraying it all over themselves.
Having a baby elephant is a serious commitment. Elephants have a longer pregnancy than any other mammals almost 22 months. Cows usually give birth to one calf every two to four years. At birth, elephants already weigh some 200 pounds (91 kilograms) and stand about three feet (1 meter) tall.

FEATURED in the following groups
Photography and Nature 101
KINGDOM Animalia
Fine Arts Professionals
Wildlife ONE A DAY
Exploration Photography

Uploaded

July 24th, 2017