Baby Elephant

   A baby elephant is called Calf. The gestation period of a elephant is 18-22 months which is most than any other animal in the world. A new born human baby is average 7 pounds while a new born elephant baby may be up to 260 pounds but only 4% of an adult female's weight and only 2% of an adult male's. The brain of new-born elephants are 30-40% of the size of that of an adult.

      A new born calf is about 3 feet tall. The baby elephant can stand up almost immediately after birth. Baby elephants are initially blind but they can recognize their mothers by touch, scent, and sound and some take to sucking their trunk for comfort in the same way that humans suck their thumbs. The trunk of a newborn calf is short at the first stage. About 99% of calves are born at night. Calves are born with curly black or red hair on their foreheads. Mothers select some another female elephants like babysitters to care for the calf so that she has time to eat enough to produce sufficient milk for her child. A calf drinks about 3 gallons milk every day. Calves depend almost entirely on milk for the first six months. Between 4 to 6 months they start to eat grass. After that they start to leave milk gradually but it become complete after more than two years old and weighs about 1900 to 2000 pounds. After 6 to 8 months, calves learn to use their trunks to eat and drink.

      Only lions or hyenas can kill the little baby. Mother elephant protect her baby from them. When a little one is in trouble all the females come to help him. The mother is very lovable and caring, she never leaves her child along. The entire group travels with the speed of the young elephants.