Humans are among the very few animals that constitute a threat to elephants. Yet not all people are a danger — and elephants seem to know it. The giants have shown a remarkable ability to use sight and scent to distinguish between African ethnic groups that have a history of attacking them and groups that do not.
They are even able to do basic arithmetic beyond what any other non-human species are capable of. They live for as long as humans, and, being highly social, they learn from each other. They have been observed to be altruistic, even to humans.
Elephants are afraid of bees. Let that sink in for a second. The largest animal on land is so terrified of a tiny insect that it will flap its ears, stir up dust and make noises when it hears the buzz of a beehive. Of course a bee's stinger can't penetrate the thick hide of an elephant.
Our results show that African elephants show strong aversion to the scent of lion feces—their main predator.
Theories abound that elephants are afraid of mice because the tiny creatures nibble on their feet or can climb up into their trunks. However, there's no evidence to back up either of those claims.
Lion will usually avoid adult elephant, and attack youngsters only if they have become separated from the herd.
Elephants can be incredibly aggressive towards humans in a variety of circumstances. Apart from male elephants during musth, female elephants may become more aggressive after giving birth or having a calf born within the herd. Because elephants are so family-oriented and intelligent, they are protective of one another.
Carnivores (meat eaters) such as lions, hyenas, and crocodiles may prey upon young, sick, orphaned, or injured elephants. Humans are the greatest threat to all elephant populations.
Given their tremendous size and strength, and because they gather in groups, elephants have few predators to worry about. Lions, hyenas, and crocodiles may attempt to prey on young or sick elephants.
In general, lions will usually avoid an encounter with elephants to refrain from becoming injured which could make hunting and feeding a problem. However, do not be fooled, our big cats are optimistic and will use their strength in numbers of their pride to their advantage if need be.
Crocodiles are more likely to attack an elephant when it lives close to the river. Crocodile attacks on elephants are common when populations of elephants live near the river. The highly territorial saltwater and Nile crocodile species attack when anyone disturbs them, especially during the mating season.
Aside from humans, lions are the only predators powerful enough to kill an elephant. The males, being 50% heavier than the females, are especially suited to the task. It typically takes seven lionesses to kill an elephant, but just two males could do the same. Even a single male can overpower a young elephant.
They say elephants never forget, but their brainpower does not stop there.
The encephalization quotient (EQ) (the size of the brain relative to body size) of elephants ranges from 1.13 to 2.36. The average EQ is 2.14 for Asian elephants, and 1.67 for African, with the overall average being 1.88.
1: Chimpanzee
Chimpanzees can learn sign language to communicate with humans. Topping our list of smartest animals is another great ape, the chimpanzee. The impressive intellectual abilities of this animal have long fascinated humans.
We all have our weaknesses, but did you know that the mighty elephant's weakness is the humble bee? Apparently, elephants are instinctively afraid of bees. Conservationists use this to their advantage by placing beehives around the land that they need to keep elephants clear of, like plantations.
An elephant would win in a tiger vs elephant fight.
The tiger is undoubtedly a fierce beast, and it might stand the best chance out of all other land-dwelling animals of successfully hunting an adult elephant. Yet, the elephant's size and power are simply indomitable.
Animals with no natural predators are called apex predators, because they sit at the top (or apex) of the food chain. The list is indefinite, but it includes lions, grizzly bears, crocodiles, giant constrictor snakes, wolves, sharks, electric eels, giant jellyfish, killer whales, polar bears, and arguably, humans.
As the saying goes, “an elephant never forgets,” whether it's cruelty or compassion. According to Newsweek, elephants trampled a man who killed “a one-year old calf that belonged to the herd.” This is just the latest in a string of stories involving elephants exacting revenge on cruel humans.
In a fight, the elephant would handily win. However, the two creatures tend to live near one another in relative peace in the real world. The hippos make room for elephants to avoid conflict because they know that elephants are simply too strong to fight.
3. You Can't Touch the Elephants or Touching is Limited. True elephant sanctuaries do not let you touch the elephants because this is stressful for the elephants and dangerous to you.
Fear, domination, and pain cause the elephants to follow the trainers' commands to let people ride, feed, touch, or bathe them. It isn't safe for humans to make direct contact with elephants—getting too close can be deadly.
Run in a zig-zag pattern if the elephant makes a real charge. If an elephant makes a real charge, shouting loudly will not be enough to deter it. If you've noticed the signs of a real charge, start running. A head start and a zig-zag running pattern should keep you safe from the charge.