Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by james. james Wonders, “How much does a elefant weigh” Thanks for WONDERing with us, james!
Have you ever given much thought to the relationships human beings have with animals? Some animals we befriend and make our pets. Some examples of these animals include dogs, cats, guinea pigs, turtles, and fish.
Other animals we raise for food. Animals such as cows, pigs, and chickens are responsible for providing much of the food that we eat on a regular basis.
There are still other animals that might hunt us for food if we should find ourselves in the wild in their territory. For example, lions, tigers, and bears might have us shouting "Oh my!" were we to encounter them in the wild.
For the most part, we humans tend to be bigger than most of the animals we encounter. From badgers and squirrels to beavers and sheep, we usually maintain a size advantage over most animals.
Of course, that's not the case when we encounter larger animals, such as horses and cows. If we venture into certain wild parts of the world, we might actually feel small for a change. For example, it's certainly an unusual perspective when you find yourself looking up at a giraffe.
Humans probably feel the smallest, however, when they come face to face with an elephant. Why? The African elephant is the largest living land mammal on Earth!
Exactly how big are elephants? Really big! Asian elephants, which tend to be smaller than their African counterparts, can weigh between 5,000 and 11,000 pounds (2,268 and 4,989 kilograms).
African elephants can range from 5,000 pounds to more than 14,000 pounds (6,350 kilograms). According to the World Wildlife Fund, an average African elephant weighs about 12,000 pounds (5,443 kilograms). Even a baby African elephant can weigh between 200-300 pounds (90.7-136 kilograms) at birth!
The largest African elephants can stand in excess of 13 feet (4 meters) tall at the shoulder. How does an African elephant grow to be 13 feet tall and weigh over 14,000 pounds? By eating a lot! Scientists estimate that the largest elephants can eat more than 300 pounds of food in a single day.
Despite their huge size, African elephants are still smaller than the heaviest animal in the world. To find that animal, you'll have to look to the sea. The water in the oceans of the world helps to support the incredible weight of the blue whale. With a length of up to 100 feet (30 meters) from head to tail, the largest blue whales can weigh in excess of 400,000 pounds (181,437 kilograms)! Just imagine how small you'd feel swimming next to that creature!