The elephant is a massive animal that has long been a favorite of kids and adults alike.It is the largest mammal to walk the earth and is largely native to Africa and Asia. African elephants and Asian elephants are on the brink of becoming endangered in the wild.They are two species of elephants that are found in most zoos over the world. Wild elephants are more abundantly found in protected reserves all across Asia and Africa, and live for double the age of zoo elephants in European zoos. It is an animal that is endangered, and while things did look up for a while, the situation is critical and must be addressed immediately.If you enjoy reading fun articles such as this one, why not head over to take a look at how long do deer live and how long do bees live on Kidadl!The Average Lifespan Of An ElephantThe elephant is a large mammal that can potentially live to a ripe old age, if the conditions are favorable. In the case these conditions look good in wild areas, wild elephants can have long lives.The average lifespan of an Asian elephant is 48 years of age. The African elephant lives for a slightly longer period than that. A male elephant reaches its maturity at 10-12 years, during the second decade of its lifespan. At this point they leave the natal herd to live a solitary life or in smaller herds. Female elephants live longer with the natal herd, even after reaching maturity. There have been several elephants who have broken the barriers of age and pushed the limits of age.One of them was Lin Wang, an elephant in the Taipei Zoo who lived to a ripe old age of 86. The oldest elephant in the world currently is one by the name of Raju, estimated to be about 66 years of age, although the probability is high that there may be even an older elephant somewhere in the wild. The elephant is the longest living mammal on land. The longest living mammal in the world lives in the ocean, which are bowhead whales. There has been no elephant that has lived to be 100 years old that we know of.How long do elephants live in captivity?Captive elephants have long been part of zoos in the world, be it European zoos, zoos in America such as the San Diego Zoo or in Asia, the Taipei Zoo. Do elephants living in captive environments, such as elephants in zoos and other research sites, live longer?While it may be sensible to think that elephants have a greater life expectancy in captivity, evidence suggests that species that live in the care of humans may actually have shorter lives, about half the life expectancies of elephants in the wild. This data has been obtained by studying more than 4500 African and Asian elephants that are in the wild and in captivity. African elephants that are born in zoos live for only 17 years, and Asian elephants live for 19 years.These results are more frightening for Asian elephants as they are the rarer species among the two. In fact, things are so dire that elephants that breed and reproduce have offspring that were found dead earlier than elephants imported into the zoo from the wild. A six year study concluded that pachyderms, elephants, hippos and animals under this umbrella, die sooner in European zoos than any reserves in the world. An elephant’s lifespan in captivity is certainly a pressing issue for the increasing death of elephants in zoos and is a threat the this wonderful species of wildlife.How long do elephants live in the wild?Our planet is home to some of the greatest reserves of nature. Wildlife is present in abundance, and so are elephants. Studies show that elephants live longer lives than they do when in captivity.Elephants in the wild have a lifespan 41 years for Asian elephants. This elephant’s lifespan has been shortened mainly due to the impact humans have had on nature, as well as other factors. Firstly, one of the biggest threats that reduce a wild elephant’s lifespan is illegal poaching, for its tusks that are made of ivory. These tusks are then sold at high prices. Poaching has been at the heart of conservation projects for a long time and groups are working hard to find solutions to curb this problem. Additionally, these animals are killed to an early death in the wild by the herpes virus.This disease has been the bane of Asian elephants in the wild. Science has coined a term for the strain of the virus that targets elephants, the elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). About 20% of the calves born have this virus. While it was first discovered back in 1999, science has not been able to find a cure and keeps working towards finding one. A new study made in 2020 came up with the first antibodies that is able to find actual target cells of the virus in an elephant’s body.How long do African elephants live?African elephants are a species that, as the name implies, are found on the African continent. They live for a much longer life than Asian elephants.African elephants’ lifespan is about 56 years of age. It is deceptively simple to assume that the lifespan of this elephant can be over 70 years, but this usually does not occur due to several factors such as poachers, loss of habitat, and disease. Humans are a large part of the problem and it is our aggressive and rapid urban expansion that has pushed these animals to the brink of extinction. In fact, African forest elephants have been moved to the Critically Endangered status. We must act now, or risk forever losing this species, and other animals.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how long do elephants live then why not take a look at how long do foxes live or African elephant facts.
The elephant is a massive animal that has long been a favorite of kids and adults alike.
