• During courtship, a male and a female elephant will rub their bodies on each other and even wrap trunks. The females tend to run away from the males and he will have to pursue her. This game of cat and mouse can continue for a long time before actual mating occurs.
• Males go through periods of “musth,” where hormonal surges create behavior changes. The periods of musth are necessary for natural herd dynamics and successful breeding.
• Male elephants fan their ears more when they are ready to mate than at other times. This allows them to get their scent out there at a wider distance to attract potential mates.
• The females are ready to breed when they are about 14 years of age.
• There is plenty of aggression among the males for the right to mate. Younger ones are usually no match for the strength of the older elephants, which is why they don’t get to mate until they are much older. That tends to make it harder to increase the numbers of elephants.
• The males rarely hurt each other when they are fighting for the right to mate. Most of the time the younger ones will back away from the older ones. There is speculation that this isn’t out of fear but out of respect and admiration for the elders.
• Baby elephants are well cared for within their herd. Their own mother as well as the other females will ensure the baby is protected. Babies often follow right behind their mothers when the herd is on the move, with their trunks wrapped around their mother’s tail.
• Females that don’t have babies will care for the young as if they were their own. This is done so the mothers can feed like they need to in order to produce enough milk for the young. Babies can drink up to 3 gallons of milk every day.
• Baby elephants don’t seem to have the same survival instincts as other animals. That is why they are so reliant upon their mothers and the other females in the herd. They are fast learners, though, and pick up new skills through observation. Other elephants praise them for doing well and scold them when they don’t follow the rules.
