15 Reasons Why Elephants Are Important?

Elephants are one of the most intelligent creatures which share plant with us. They are very sensitive animal; most particularly emotional. They have many skills and qualities that wonder humans. Elephants contribute a lot to the health of environment in many ways.

But they are vanishing from the face of Earth.

This article will help you know why elephants are important and how they do their best to save plants and help humans live better.

15 Benefits Of Elephants That Make Them Valuable For The Mankind

Elephants are survivors of forests and many of plants. They are very useful to mankind and their surroundings. They are mostly found in forests, sanctuaries or zoo. Children are fond of kids of huge and powerful elephants. They have been among the oldest animals on the planet Earth.

Let’s take a deeper look at the importance of big guy.

1. Elephants Help Find Water

During the dry season, elephants use their tusks to dig for water resources underground. They dig holes on ground with their tusks and bring water to ground from beneath. This not only allows the elephants to survive in dry environments but also help other animals provide water that are also in search of water.

This way the water resources are found and other animals can survive the dry and hot seasons. They are nature helpers!

2. Elephants Help With Plantation

When elephants feed themselves, they create vacant land and pathway in the forests. This free land allows new plants to grow and create ecosystem for other smaller animals to use. They also help disperse seeds of different plants. Some species totally depend upon elephants for seedling to reach far distance and their regeneration.

3. Elephants Help Grow Small Plants And Shrubs

Elephants feed on different plants like tree sprouts and shrubs. Which in turns create gaps for plants to regrow and increase plantation. Many shrubs are extinct because of their use but no regrow or re-plantation.

But elephants help them grow back. Their dung have the seeds and they help in seed dispersal. This is also a way for seed dispersal of different plants and shrubs. They can help a lot in fertilization of lands and forests.

4. Elephants Are Very Caring

Elephants are very caring animals, just like humans. If any calf cries, the herd will reach to soothe and provide comfort with the help of their trunks. They are extremely intelligent animals; with emotions, empathy, feelings and protection. A fun fact about elephants is that they can recognize themselves in a mirror!).

5. Elephants Are Big and Powerful

One elephant molar is the size of a brick! .Elephants may be the largest land animal but the blue whale is the largest animal on the planet. Elephant trunks have over 40,000 muscles which helps them in breathing, smelling and communicating. They are capable of picking up something as big and heavy as an average-sized horse to something as tiny as a grain of rice.

6. Elephants Might Help Us Fight Cancer

In the universities of Utah and Chicago, researchers has discovered that elephants had evolved a higher DNA repair process to remove those cells that might help in cancer mutations or maybe a cause of it. This could help scientists develop advance drugs to treat cancer or even prevent it from developing.

This is just a start! But who knows what wonders are hidden in elephant’s DNA.

7. Elephants Could Also Help Hearing-Impaired

An elephant’s hearing range is closer to a human’s than any animal used to model hearing in medicine. Elephants have the ability to detect sounds that travel through the ground as seismic “cues”, such as other elephant calls. They achieve this through vibration-sensitive cells in their feet and trunk.

Humans have similar vibration-detecting cells (as do all mammals) in the hand, foot, lips and even the gut. Research being conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine has shown the potential for elephant-inspired vibrational hearing aids.

8. Elephants Help Paleontologists Understand Extinct Animals

The oldest recorded elephant is Ling Wang, an Asian elephant, who died in 2003 at the ripe old age of 86. They lived for centuries and extinct as world changes. This helps may paleontologists to study about the ancestors of elephants that are no long into existence. The fossils found during research helps them to understand their existence and their reasons of extinction.

9. Elephants Love To Make Music

Elephants are arguably some of the most incredible mammals that walk the earth. We already know they are artistic. They create paintings with their trunks and play harmonicas and drums! They are fantastic at maintaining the rhythm as well. This helps scientists to understand the brain mapping o elephants.

10. Elephants Were Transporters (Once!)

In ancient times, when there were no cars and modern technology people use to travel on elephants and camels. As they have to cover a long distance, they use to carry loads of food and water. They were a luxury transport back in times. Many kingdoms owe them for transport.

11. Elephants Helps Fight Climate Change

Studies shown that elephants help fight climate change by helping in forestation and regrowth of plants. Especially African rainforest and savanna forests, are very much improved in size and reduces the signs of changing climate damage.

12. Elephants are Ecosystems Engineers

Elephants helps our ecosystems to regrow and improve the versatility of plants in forests. That’s why they are known as ecosystem engineers. As they help plants to grow back and in new environment. They help different species to survive and maintain their habitat.

13. Elephants Are Source Of Entertainment

Mughal Empires used to have elephants in their entertainment shows or fun games. Just like now-a-days, we have elephants in circus for show and games. They are beloved to their masers/owners which makes them a center of attraction in show and stunts.

14. Elephants Were Part Of Armies

In 18^th Century, conquerors and rulers should to have elephants in their armies and alliances. As they were powerful and sets fear in battlefield. As the huge elephant appears to be participating the enemies would have feared for their lives from death. With this

15. Elephants Attract Tourists

A study shows that the tourism value of an elephant is approximately 1.6 million US Dollars. Tourism can help nearby communities to survive on their own; which means they can build their homes, earn their living and send their children for education to school.

Importance Of Elephants – Conclusion

As you have read the above, you were unaware of many facts about the elephants before this. The elephants are caring but powerful! This unique creature is a wonderful gift which lives their lives to protect mankind.

References

Sara Javed