Elephants (Mini Encyclopedias) [9781838863593]

Overview

Featuring the surviving species and subspecies, from African bush elephants to Asian pygmy elephants, Elephants explores how these fascinating animals hunt and feed, reproduce and rear their young, compete, defend each other from predators, and protect the herd.

Other than the size of their ears (African elephants have much larger ears), how else do African and Asian elephants differ? Well, both male and female African elephants, rather than just some male Asian elephants, have long tusks. And African elephants also have two, rather than one, finger-like digits in their trunks to help grip. African elephants have more wrinkly skin, and their heads are more rounded, whereas Asian elephants have twin-domed heads. Elephants is an outstanding collection of photographs and captions showing these majestic animals in their natural habitat in a handy pocket format. You’ll discover how, yes, African and Asian elephants differ, but also about the different species or subspecies in each continent. You will learn how herds of female elephants and their young are formed, how they feed and use their tusks – elongated incisor teeth – as weapons or for moving objects or digging, how they use their ears to cool themselves and how intelligent they are – they’re up there with primates and dolphins. They have captured the popular imagination for thousands of years and have been domesticated by humankind., Featuring the surviving species and subspecies, from African bush elephants to Asian pygmy elephants, the book explores how these fascinating animals hunt and feed, reproduce and rear their young, compete, defend each other from predators, and protect the herd. Featuring 150 outstanding colour photographs, Elephants is a brilliant examination of the world’s largest land mammal.