VMD 512: Zoo/Wild Animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

ASIATIC ELEPHANT AND AFRICAN ELEPHANT

Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus)

• Convex head & temporal gland secretion (musth status)is common in males.
• Long trunk and males have long tusks that are the modified dentine tissues.
• Ears are large and the trunk ends in a single lip.
• Tusks of females rarely protrude (TUSHES).
• Tuskless males are called as makhnas and are very large in build with extraordinarily well-developed trunks.
• Gall bladder is absent and testes are intra-abdominal.

African elephant (Loxodonta africana)

• Larger in size than Asiatic one.
• Trunk is shorter in length and two-equal sized lips are present in the end of the trunk.
• Three nails on each hind feet.
• Hollow-back is present.
• Temporal gland-secretion is seen both in male and female elephants.
• Aggressive and hence, difficult to tame.