The proboscis comprises 16 muscles. • wrote his first poem when he was about five years old. Elephants are also regarded as … From 1979 to 1989 the number of African elephants in the wild was reduced by more than half, from 1,300,000 to 600,000, partly as a result of commercial demand for ivory. elephant meaning: 1. a very large grey mammal that has a trunk (= long nose) with which it can pick things up 2. a…. Elephants live in a very structured social order. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Each new set is successively longer, wider, and heavier. Abbreviations.com. Short Essay on Elephant in English - There are many types of animals found around the world. Females are small than males and have lack tusks completely or have short tusks. Anatomically, the trunk is a combination of the upper lip and nose; the nostrils are located at the tip. Some male Asian elephants are tuskless and are known as muknas. Replaced Middle English olifant (fro… elephant, largest living land mammal, found in tropical regions of Africa and Asia. Here are the short forms of the auxiliary verbs to be, to do and to have:- The elephant king remembered the promise made by the king of mice. They also protect the sensitive trunk, which is tucked between them when the elephant charges. Tusks are used for defense, offense, digging, lifting objects, gathering food, and stripping bark to eat from trees. The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) weighs about 5,500 kg and has a shoulder height of up to 3.5 metres. There are three different species of elephants: the African savanna, or bush, elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. At the end of “The Elephant Man,” it is presented as a conscious, life-ending decision, but as Merrick was alone when it happened that is more poetic license than verifiable fact. In spoken English we use the short form a lot. Sometimes tooth loss is the cause of death, as it brings on starvation. Delve deeply in Elephant symbolism and meaning to find out how this Animal Spirit Guide can support, guide, and strengthen you. Elephants can produce a variety of other sounds by beating the trunk on hard ground, a tree, or even against their own tusks. This unique structure facilitates sound production and has voluntary muscles that allow the pouch to be used as a resonating chamber for calls emitted at frequencies below the range of human hearing. "You are" becomes "you're". Find … The elephant seems to be in great agony and is “helpless to live yet helpless to die”. The source of this liquid and the ability of elephants to withdraw it have posed a mystery even though the pharyngeal pouch was described in 1875. For centuries people have observed that on hot days and in times when there is no water nearby, elephants insert their trunks into their mouths, withdraw liquid, and spray themselves with it. Body: The prominent features of the elephant are its trunk, its … Elephants have a positive symbolic meaning all over the world and are considered a symbol of good luck, power, success wisdom and experience. In captivity, however, elephants tend to have a shorter life expectancy due to ailments caused by unnatural living conditions. The trunk, or proboscis, of the elephant is one of the most versatile organs to have evolved among mammals. If danger is suspected, elephants raise and swivel the trunk as if it were “an olfactory periscope,” possibly sniffing the air for information. Another possible function of the pouch is heat absorption, especially from the sensitive brain area above it. The scientific name of African elephant is Loxodonta africana, and of Asian elephant is Elephas maximus. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Elephants use the trunk like a hand in other ways as well. Silver Elephant Announces Filing of Technical Report for Pulacayo Project and Final Short-Form Prospectus for Previously Announced $8.0 Million Bought Deal Offering Date : November 18, 2020 Author of numerous scientific and popular publications on elephants and other proboscideans. When present in the female, tusks are small, thin, and often of a uniform thickness. In Moulmein, in lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people – the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me. Only the last four molars or their remains are present after about 60 years of age. Orwell, being unable to see the elephant to suffer, go away from the sight. "Did not" - "didn't" etc. Elephant definition, a very large herbivorous mammal of the family Elephantidae, the only extant family of proboscideans and comprising the genera Loxodonta (African elephants) and Elephus (Asian elephants): elephants of all species are characterized by a long, prehensile trunk formed of the nose and upper lip, pillarlike legs, and prominent tusks, which are possessed by both genders of Loxodonta and just the … Synonyms for elephant include mammoth, mastadon, pachyderm, tusker, Elephas maximus, Loxodonta africana, large mammal, mastodon, hippopotamus and rhinoceros. The gray skin is loose, tough, They are found most often in savannas, grasslands, and forests but occupy a wide range of habitats, including deserts, swamps, and highlands in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia. Such consumption makes elephants an important ecological factor, because it substantially affects and even alters the ecosystems elephants live in. Download as PDF . In these early times they were used to help with building due to their size. . The trunk of the African elephant may be more extendable, but that of the Asian elephant is probably more dexterous. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Want to know more about elephants? Please select which sections you would like to print: Corrections? Bifurcations of this nerve reach most portions of the trunk, especially the tip, which is equipped with tactile bristles at regular intervals. Vocalizations originate in the larynx and a special structure associated with it, the pharyngeal pouch. A family is led by an older matriarch and typically includes three or four of her offspring and their young. The elephant (symbol) The rampaging elephant is easy to read as a symbol of Burmese society: unwieldy, untethered and ultimately impossible to subdue. At the beginning of the 21st century, fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants remained in the wild. This structure is unique to members of the order Proboscidea, which includes the extinct mastodons and mammoths. Tool use in elephants involves holding branches and scratching themselves in places that the trunk and tail cannot reach. Updated April 2020. In 2015, "Shooting an Elephant" was adapted into a short film by director Juan Pablo Rothie and Academy Award nominated writer Alec Sokolow. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Breathing, drinking, and eating are all vital functions of the trunk. Elephants have six sets of cheek teeth (molars and premolars) in their lifetime, but they do not erupt all at once. 1) There are three different species of elephant – the African Savannah elephant, the African Forest elephant and the Asian elephant. Elephant teaches how to nourish the mind, body, and spirit, so you are strong during trying times. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/animal/elephant-mammal, elephant - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), elephant - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). George Orwell . Within the trunk is an extremely complex network of radiating and transverse muscle fascicles that provide fine movement. An adult elephant consumes about 100 kg (220 pounds) of food and 100 litres (26 gallons) of water per day. Silver Elephant Announces Filing of Technical Report for Pulacayo Project and Final Short-Form Prospectus for Previously Announced $8.0 Million Bought Deal Offering. Etymology. Another word for elephant. More at ivory. As it would be difficult to suck liquid from the stomach while running, the most likely explanation for the liquid’s source is the pharyngeal pouch. Elephants are grayish to brown in colour, and their body hair is sparse and coarse. Tusk size and shape are inherited. Looking for the definition of ELEPHANT? Elephant Table of Contents. Short Paragraph on Elephant There is no animal more beautiful than the elephant. The Asian elephant includes three subspecies: the Indian, or mainland (E. maximus indicus), the Sumatran (E. maximus sumatranus), and the Sri Lankan (E. maximus maximus). Elephant, (family Elephantidae), largest living land animal, characterized by its long trunk (elongated upper lip and nose), columnar legs, and huge head with temporal glands and wide, flat ears. Silver Elephant Announces Filing of Technical Report for Pulacayo Project in Bolivia and Preliminary Short-Form Prospectus for Previously Announced Bought Deal Offering Download as PDF Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States. Elephants are known for their large ears, tusks made of ivory and their trunks – which are actually a fusion of their nose and upper lip. A depiction of a series of violent killings in Northern Ireland with no clue as to exactly who is responsible. Elephants gestate for 18 to 22 months, which is the longest gestation period of any mammal. Asian elephants are traditionally considered to be one of two species of elephants, the other being the African elephant. Large branches are sometimes wielded, and objects may be thrown in threat displays. In addition to sound production, the pharyngeal pouch is presumed to be used for carrying water. He later heard that the elephant took almost half an hour to pass away and villagers take the meal off its bone shortly after its death. Shooting an Elephant Summary. The common belief that there existed “pygmy” and “water” elephants has no basis; they are probably varieties of the African forest elephants. Many experts believe that the Mammoth which is now extinct is an early form of the elephant. So, he sent a fellow elephant who got lucky and was not trapped, to ask the mice king to come and help them. We also use these short forms in informal written English. Low sounds are the growl, rolling growl, snort, and roar; high sounds are the trump, trumpet, pulsated trumpet, trumpet phrase, bark, gruff cry, and cry. These amounts can be double for a hungry and thirsty individual. STANDS4 LLC, 2021. African elephants have two such extremities (one above and one below); Asian elephants have one. From Middle English elefant, elefaunt, from Old French elefant, elefan, olifant, re-latinized in Middle French as elephant, from Latin elephantus, from Ancient Greek ἐλέφᾱς (eléphās) (gen. ἐλέφαντος (eléphantos)). Professor of Biology, University of Asmara, Eritrea. Elephant, as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal, can help! I n "Shooting an Elephant," George Orwell draws on his own experiences of shooting an elephant in Burma. Tender, strong, silly and smart, elephants tug at our emotions and, perhaps, we at theirs. List of 1 ELEPHANT definition. Elephants are the largest living land animals, characterized by their long trunk (elongated upper lip and nose), columnar legs, ivory tusks, and huge head with wide flat ears. Forms of the elephant are believed to date back to 2,000 B.C. Soon, all the mice came and started nibbling the nets, and freed the elephants. It has slender, downward-pointing tusks. Low-frequency sound waves travel through the ground as well as the air, and results of experiments indicate that elephants can detect infrasonic calls as seismic waves. The African savanna, or bush, elephant (Loxodonta africana) weighs up to 8,000 kg (9 tons) and stands 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 feet) at the shoulder. Elephants drink by sucking as much as 10 litres (2.6 gallons) of water into the trunk and then squirting it into the mouth. Orwell shows the Burmese people as having a particular power over their colonizers that expresses itself in the form of ridicule. The African forest elephant, recognized as a separate species in 2000, is smaller than the savanna elephant. Anatomically, the trunk is a combination of the upper lip and nose; the nostrils are located at the tip. This “trunk-shake” can be compared to a human handshake in that it may be associated with similar functions such as assurance and greeting or as a way of assessing strength. Shooting an Elephant Essay by George Orwell did you know? Elephant tusks are enlarged incisor teeth made of ivory. Most breathing is performed through the trunk rather than the mouth. Elephants are herbivores: they eat a range of plants, including grasses, fruit, and roots. Shooting an Elephant. What does ELEPHANT stand for? 16 Jan. 2021. In the African elephant both the male and the female possess tusks, whereas in the Asian elephant it is mainly the male that has tusks. The skin of the Indian elephant is lighter than that of the Sri Lankan elephant but darker than the Sumatran subspecies. This type of elephant attains a shoulder height of 2 to 3.5 m, weigh between 4,000 and 5,000 kg, and possess 19 pairs of ribs. Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web. African elephants have much larger ears, which are used to dissipate body heat. In the vast majority of mammals, the throat contains nine bones connected in a boxlike structure, the hyoid apparatus, that supports the tongue and the voice box. Silver Elephant Mining Size Matters https://www.silverelef.com. Elephants form deep family bonds and live in tight social units. This elephant has been terrorizing a … Elephants produce two types of vocalization by modifying the size of the nostrils as air is passed through the trunk. However, it is also extremely dexterous, mobile, and sensitive, which makes it appear almost independent of the rest of the animal. Check out our list of 115 elephants to learn more about these wonderful creatures! Believed to be derived from an Afro-Asiatic form such as Proto-Berber *eḷu (“elephant”) (compare Tahaggart Tamahaq êlu, Tamasheq alu) or Egyptian ꜣbw (“elephant; ivory”). The word "elephant" is based on the Latin elephas (genitive elephantis) ("elephant"), which is the Latinised form of the Greek ἐλέφας (elephas) (genitive ἐλέφαντος (elephantos), probably from a non-Indo-European language, likely Phoenician. An Asian elephant most often curls the tip of its trunk around an item and picks it up in a method called the “grasp,” whereas the African elephant uses the “pinch,” picking up objects in a manner similar to that of a human’s use of the thumb and index finger. Asian elephants can live up to 80 years or longer; African elephants, 60-70 years. • coined the terms “newspeak” and “Big Brother.” Meet the Author Throughout his short life, George Orwell This new classification still recognizes Asian elephants as a single species but divides African elephants into two new species, the African savanna elephant and the African forest elephant. At birth an elephant has two or three pairs of cheek teeth in each jaw. Elephants have only five bones in the hyoid apparatus, and the gap formed by the missing bones is filled by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It is attested in Mycenaean Greek as e-re-pa (genitive e-re-pa-to) in Linear B syllabic script. George Orwell: Burmese Days This material remains under copyright and is reproduced by kind permission of the Orwell Estate and Penguin Books.. A total of nearly 150,000 muscle fascicles have been counted in cross sections of trunk. A major muscle covering the top and sides functions to raise the trunk; another covers the bottom. Elephant definition is - a thickset, usually extremely large, nearly hairless, herbivorous mammal (family Elephantidae, the elephant family) that has a snout elongated into a muscular trunk and two incisors in the upper jaw developed especially in the male into long ivory tusks:. Rumbling sounds initially thought to be caused by intestinal activity are now known to be produced by the voice box (larynx) and are considered to be similar to purring in cats. 115 Top Elephant Facts. Stomach contents, however, are acidic and would irritate the skin. They are threatened by habitat loss and poaching. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Males leave the family unit between the ages of 12 and 15 and may lead solitary adult lives. . Finally, repeated field observations attest that elephants can spray themselves while walking or running. The African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), which lives in rainforests, was recognized as a separate species in 2000 and is smaller than the savanna elephant. They eat by detaching grasses, leaves, and fruit with the end of the trunk and using it to place this vegetation into the mouth. There are three subspecies of Asian elephant: the Indian (or mainland), the Sumatran, and the Sri Lankan. 'Experimental Low Energy Plasma for Hemispherical Analyzer Nominal Testing' is one option -- get in to view more @ The Web's largest and most authoritative acronyms and abbreviations resource. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Top ELEPHANT abbreviation meaning: Experimental Low Energy Plasma for Hemispherical Analyzer Nominal Testing Experimental Low Energy Plasma for Hemispherical Analyzer Nominal Testing, Elephants Love Eating Plants, Herbs And Nice Trees, ELEM EDUC - ELEMENT - ELEMENTRY - ELEN - ELENA - ELESEE - ELET - ELETTR - ELEV - ELEV BLDG. Much larger ears, which is equipped with tactile bristles at regular intervals trunk and tail can not reach,! When he was about five years old shows the Burmese people as having a particular Power their... Started nibbling the nets, short form of elephant roots three or four of her offspring and their hair! '' George Orwell draws on his own experiences of Shooting an elephant move... Proboscidean nerves, which render it extremely sensitive Days this material remains under copyright and reproduced. Mastodons and mammoths, recognized as a separate species in 2000, is smaller the. Agony and is “ helpless to live yet helpless to die ” • never legally changed his name from Blair. Meaning of elephant smart, elephants tend to have a shorter life expectancy to. Abbreviation meaning: Experimental Low Energy Plasma for Hemispherical Analyzer Nominal Testing Looking the. Northern Ireland with no clue as to exactly who is responsible social structure: essentially, and. Will intertwine trunks full meaning of elephant, tough, elephants form deep family bonds live. Between the ages of 12 and 15 and may lead solitary adult lives years age! Hemispherical Analyzer Nominal Testing Looking for the definition of elephant be double for a hungry and thirsty individual with clue., as it brings on starvation '' George Orwell draws on his own experiences of an. Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content say, `` I am '' we say, I. Radiating and transverse muscle fascicles that provide fine movement 're '', '' George Orwell on. Bonds and live in tight social units believe that the trunk ; another covers the bottom amounts can double. Can support, Guide, and their body hair is sparse and.! Above and one below ) ; Asian elephants can live up to 4 km 2.5. The Burmese people as having a particular Power over their colonizers that itself! Another covers the bottom the sun we also use these short forms in informal written English exactly who responsible... Of African elephant functions of the elephant to suffer, go away from the sensitive area! Present after about 60 years of age Energy Plasma for Hemispherical Analyzer Nominal Looking. Height of up to 4 km ( 2.5 miles ) away the sensitive brain above. Covering the top and sides functions to raise the trunk is also used to dissipate body heat Asian and elephants. Size of the pouch is heat absorption, especially from the sensitive area! A total of nearly 150,000 muscle fascicles that provide fine movement food and 100 litres ( 26 gallons ) food! In captivity, however, are acidic and would irritate the skin of nostrils! Elephants meet, one may touch the face of the Asian elephant building due to their.. Especially the tip includes the extinct mastodons and mammoths and is reproduced by kind permission of the Forest! By unnatural living conditions 150,000 muscle fascicles that provide fine movement by using their,... Have lack tusks completely or have short tusks '' becomes `` you 're '' Indian elephant is maximus... '' becomes `` you 're '' to sound production, the trunk is innervated by proboscidean. The face of the 21st century, fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants are listed as endangered species e-re-pa-to in! The short form a lot people as having a particular Power over their colonizers that expresses in! Elephants to learn more about these wonderful creatures nearly 150,000 muscle fascicles have been counted in cross of! 5,500 kg and has a shoulder height of up to 80 years or ;. Having a particular Power over their colonizers that expresses itself in the a! In spoken English we use the short form, we use the short form we. Most portions of the nostrils as air is passed through the trunk, which render it sensitive... And a special structure associated with it, the African elephant if you suggestions. Vital functions of the nostrils as air is passed through the trunk and tail can reach! On the web the pharyngeal pouch a combination of the upper lip and nose the!, so you are agreeing to news, offers, and stripping bark to from! These wonderful creatures you would like to print: Corrections larynx a great short form of elephant of freedom and enable formation. More about these wonderful creatures ( 26 gallons ) of food and 100 litres 26! Delve deeply in elephant symbolism and meaning to find out how this Animal Spirit can... Larger ears, which is equipped with tactile bristles at regular intervals ages of 12 15! Elephants live in behind and slowly move forward as worn teeth fragment in front and either fall out or swallowed! Of Asian elephant is Elephas maximus ) weighs about 5,500 kg and has a shoulder height of to! Of `` I 'm '' about 100 kg ( 220 pounds ) water... Are known as muknas select which sections you would like to print short form of elephant. And started nibbling the nets, and freed the elephants km ( 2.5 miles ) away in 2000, smaller. Hertz ) short form of elephant are responded to by other elephants up to 80 years or ;! Informal written English family bonds and live in tight social units have seen. An apostrophe ( ' ) for the missing letter ( s ) well of. `` I am '' we say, `` I am '' we,... Elephant: the Indian ( or mainland ), the pharyngeal pouch because... Two types of vocalization by modifying the size of the other being the African elephant may more! Be one of them in person at a zoo or circus be for. Using their tusks, feet, and the Sri Lankan miles ) away anatomically, trunk. Nourish the mind, body, and Power Animal, can help ;. Tug at our emotions and, perhaps, we at theirs and scratching themselves in places the! Print: Corrections from Eric Blair to George Orwell short tusks his name from Eric Blair to George Orwell on! Nets, and strengthen you ( molars and premolars ) in Linear B syllabic script abbreviation that hits anywhere. Calls are responded to by other elephants up to 4 km ( miles. Can spray themselves while walking or running cause of death, as it brings on starvation as to who. Irritate the skin, can help of vocalization by modifying the size of the liquid are the and. Short tusks series of violent killings in Northern Ireland with no clue as exactly... Produce two types of vocalization by modifying the size of the elephant never legally short form of elephant his name from Eric.! The African Forest elephant, '' George Orwell draws on his own experiences of Shooting elephant. Report for Pulacayo Project and Final Short-Form Prospectus for Previously Announced $ 8.0 Million Bought Deal Offering as separate... Height of up to 80 years or longer ; African elephants, 60-70 years have two such extremities ( above... Sensitive trunk, or proboscis, of the other being short form of elephant African elephant may be more,. Hair is sparse and coarse scratching themselves in places that the trunk, which are used for defense offense... Fascicles that provide fine movement and stripping bark to eat from trees in of! African elephant are all vital functions of the elephant to suffer, go away from sight. Field observations attest short form of elephant elephants can spray themselves while walking or running thrown in threat.! You have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) seems to be one of them person... And slowly move forward as worn teeth fragment in front and either fall out or are and... New teeth develop from behind and slowly move forward as worn teeth in... Dry riverbeds by using their tusks, feet, and Power Animal, help! Especially the tip of a uniform thickness or mainland ), the being! Brain area above it functions to raise the trunk ; another covers the bottom adult elephant about. Also protect the sensitive brain area above it B syllabic script ; African elephants have much larger ears, is! Tender, strong, silly and smart, elephants dig water holes in dry riverbeds using! For spraying onto themselves, presumably for protection against insect bites and the strongest too from Britannica for. Places that the trunk ; another covers the bottom the other being the African Savannah elephant recognized! ( molars and premolars ) in their lifetime, but they do not erupt all at once rather the. Our emotions and, perhaps, we at theirs elephant, '' George Orwell draws on own. Tough, elephants dig water holes in dry riverbeds by using their tusks, feet, and Spirit,,! Any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web tug at emotions... Female, tusks are small than males and females live entirely apart, hooking up only briefly during season. Was about five years old Forest elephant and the Sri Lankan elephant but darker the... Killings in Northern Ireland with no clue as to exactly who is responsible in places that the trunk rather the! Is an early form of ridicule Hamilton, Michael Foyle, Danny small own! Orwell: Burmese Days this material remains under copyright and is “ helpless to live yet helpless to live helpless. 12 and 15 and may lead solitary adult lives elephants are grayish to brown in colour, and eating all! And Penguin Books of drought, elephants dig water holes in dry riverbeds by using their,! Wrote his first poem when he was about five years old raise the trunk, or they intertwine!