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1、Elephantsareahugepartofpopularcultureandshowupasmetaphorsacrossallmedia.Theyformapartofreligiousbeliefsandareoftenassociatedwithwisdomoraltruism.However,manypeoplewholiveoutsidethenormalrangeofelephantsareunfamiliarwiththemanyinterestingfactsaboutthem.This
2、listgivesanoverviewofteninterestingareasaboutelephants.10.TypesofElephantInEnglish,whenwesay‘elephant,’weareactuallyreferringtoseveraldifferentspecies.Until2010,only2speciesofelephantwerescientificallyrecognized.However,genetictestinghasrevealedthattherear
3、eatleast3species.ThesearetheAsianelephantalphasmaximus,theAfricanbushelephantloxodontaAfricana(alsocalledthesavannahelephant),andtheAfricanforestelephantloxodontacyclones.TheAsianelephantisthesmallest,andhassmallearsandtusks.Theyhavetwoprominentbumpsonthei
4、rforeheads.TheyholdtheirheadsmoreerectthanbothAfricanelephants,havenoprotrudingupperlip,andhaveasingleshortfinger-likelipattheendoftheirtrunkwhichtheyuseforfinemanipulationofobjects.BothAfricanelephantshavelargerears,althoughtheforestelephanthasmuchrounder
5、ears,arelesshairy,havelargertusks,roundedforeheads,andhavetwofinger-likelipsontheirtrunks.Theforestelephanthasrelativelystraight,downward-pointingtuskswhilstthebushelephanthasmagnificentlycurvedones.Mostelephantsarecrepuscular,meaningthattheyaremostactived
6、uringdawnandevening,althoughthisvariesduetolocalclimate.Unfortunately,allelephantspeciesareendangered.9．ReproductionHomosexualelephants,whicharewell-documented,mateyear-round,butanelephantcow(female)isfertileforonlyafewdayseachyear.Duringthistime,bulls(mal
7、es)willtrytocourtherbyusingritualsinvolvingvariousaffectionategesturesandnuzzles.Ifsheacceptsone,shewillrespondwithsimilargesturesandafter20minutesorsoofacourtingritualtheywillmate.Ifsheconceives,shewillbepregnantfor22months,longerthananyotherlandanimal.So
8、meelephantsinducelabourbyself-medicatingwithcertainplants.Thecalf(baby),whenborn,weighsover100kg.Elephantsarequadrupeds,sounlikehumans,theycanhaverelativelymuchwiderpelviseswhichgivesthemlowerinfantandmotherm
