CINCINNATI ZOO GUIDE 
Herbivora Building 
African species both the male and female have tusks, those of 
the male being larger and heavier than those of the female. 
Unlike the Asiatic elephant, the African has three toes on its 
hind feet instead of four. It is also larger in size than the 
Asiatic species. Elephants can not stand cold, and suffer equally 
from excessive heat. In their native element they avoid the 
burning rays of the sun by penetrating into the thickest forest. 
All elephants are fond of bathing, their large body being of 
great advantage to them in swimming. When they swim in 
deep water they erect their trunk through which they breathe, 
and by doing so they have no fear of being drowned. The 
Asiatic elephants are generally supposed to be more intelligent 
and docile, also much superior in strength to those in Africa. 
The average height of the Indian elephant is about eight and 
one-half feet. At the age of thirty years the elephant reaches 
maturity. The period of gestation is twenty-two months. The 
female brings forth only one young at a time. Some authors 
have claimed that the young elephant nurses with its trunk, 
[85 1 
