Large animals are large animals with powerful legs, but just by looking at them, you wouldn’t think they move very fast. First, they’re very heavy, ranging in weight from 6,000 to 15,000 pounds, and their bodies don’t seem to be built for running at all. So, how fast are elephants? Could they run with such big legs and wide flat feet?
Let’s take an in-depth look at these surprisingly agile animals, their top speed, and how far they can walk or run in one go. If you’ve ever raced an elephant, you never want to underestimate an elephant!
Can elephants run? how fast are they?
Despite their size and size, elephants are actually pretty fast runners. African elephants, for example, can run at speeds of up to 25 mph. Asian elephants, on the other hand, are slower, with a top speed of about 15 mph.
Remarkably, even when approaching top speed, these gentle giants keep at least one foot firmly on the ground at all times. They need one foot on the ground to stabilize their large and heavy bodies, which is why they cannot jump. Additionally, when “running,” the elephants’ feet moved in the same way they would when they were walking at a slower pace.
So there’s a lot of debate among researchers about whether these mighty pachyderms were technically capable of running. Some claim that elephants do indeed run in “slow motion,” while others disbelieve it because they never actually lift all their feet off the ground and “bounce” like other animals do when they run.
Can elephants outrun humans?
The highest human running speed record of 27.3 miles per hour was achieved by Usain Bolt in the jaw-dropping Olympic sprint in 2011. However, this speed is very unusual and completely unattainable for ordinary people. Most people can’t run more than 6 to 10 miles per hour.
So, with this information in mind, it’s clear that elephants can definitely outrun most humans. Still, someone like Usain Bolt is a tough competition for them!
How far can an elephant go?
An elephant’s body isn’t really designed for high-speed sprints. Instead, they tend to walk longer distances. Because elephants must eat for up to 20 hours a day to maintain their weight, they must be constantly on the move to find new twigs, leaves, grass and fruit to feed on.
Incredibly, both African and Asian elephants can walk over 50 miles in a day if necessary! Long walks like this are rare, though, and only during times of drought or extreme food scarcity.
Exact distance ranges will vary slightly based on environmental conditions, food availability, and many other complicating factors. However, wild elephants typically walk about 10 to 15 miles in an average day, which is still a remarkable feat!
Captive individuals walk much less per day, on the order of 2 to 5 miles. This is mainly because they don’t have to travel very far to find vital resources like food and water. Additionally, they never need to hide from predators or compete with other herds when looking for food.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
