Little animals are the cutest! Similar to humans, they can be blissfully unaware and have a youthful spirit that loves nothing more than the joy of playing and exploring their environment.
Take baby elephants, for example. These gigantic babies have won the hearts of thousands around the world, especially on social media, with their tenderness and cheerful demeanor. Like many other small animals, small elephants are called “calves.”
Elephants give birth after the longest gestation period of any mammal in the world. A baby elephant has to be roasted for a long time! It can take 18 to 22 months from conception to delivery.
©Johan W. Elzenga/Shutterstock.com
Given that elephants are the largest land animals in the world, it’s no surprise that baby elephants are huge. A calf weighs about 250 pounds at birth. The idea that a newborn animal might have an almost complete brain is truly astounding.
Elephants are born with a highly developed brain, which they use to recognize the complex social order of their group and nourish themselves with their dexterous torso after nearly two years growing in their mother’s womb.
kids are kids
Just like any other kind of cub, baby elephants love to play! An online video shows a calf blowing bubbles underwater. You could tell by its eyes that the calf was fascinated by this new discovery.
Elephants enjoy many other activities in the wild! Elephant has always enjoyed mud baths. They love the soothing effects and respite that mud provides from the scorching temperatures of Africa and Asia where they were born, plus romping and playing with their mates in a mud bath.
Elephants love to play in the water with their friends and find cool places to relax. Large are skilled swimmers, so they are used to being in the water. They can cool off in the water while enjoying “fights” with mates and other members of the herd. Blowing bubbles with their noses is just a bonus!
When these animals are in captivity, they are often found playing with toys given to them, such as giant beach balls and soccer balls. They like to use their trunks to hit balls. This can provide hours of entertainment.
Xiao Xiang likes to play and run with his companions since he was a child. They develop a strong relationship from an early age that will last almost a lifetime. As expected, younger elephants played more than older elephants, but both males and females continued to play well into their 40s and 50s.
next
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- Watch elephants face off…helicopters?
- Woman by pool accidentally visited by elephant
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.
