Aside from the fact that they are unique and interesting animals, elephants are a keystone species. A keystone species is one which is critical to the overall health and well being of the environment in which they live as well as being beneficial to the other creatures who live there. Elephants are mother natures Master Gardeners. I know that seems strange but I will explain.

An elephants digestive system is very inefficient. About 40% of everything it eats passes through undigested so an elephant has to consume a lot in order to support its considerable bulk. An elephant spends 16-20 hours every day feeding. Every 24 hours it devours 150-200 lbs of plant and vegetable matter. It meanders through the bush stripping leaves off of bushes, pulling down tree branches, and uprooting grasses. If it is near a body of water it will wade out and feed on aquatic vegetation. It will even push over small trees to get at the tops. This may sound destructive but because the elephant moves almost constantly it does not impact a single area consistently. In fact it keeps the thick brush under control and lets more sunlight reach the ground.

In its wake the elephant leaves copious amounts of fertilizer. Its dung contains a great many seeds from the plants it has eaten and distributes them over a wide area. It is the Johnny Appleseed of the bush. Seed distribution is important to the biodiversity of plant life in the bush. When its dung dries birds and monkeys will sift through it and pick out the seeds becoming an easy food source for them. When the rains begin the seeds sprout with new growth. The elephant has replanted what it has eaten. The new growth also becomes a food source for smaller herbivores. Loss of elephants would significantly alter the African environment and its wildlife.

During the dry season many small streams and river dry up however there are still pockets of water lying underground. The elephant can smell the water and will dig down with its tusks and trunk to access the water. When it has drunk its fill the remaining water is available for other animals. An elephant will also dig holes in different areas to find salts and minerals necessary for its health. When the rains come these holes fill with water and may eventually become a larger waterhole. These waterholes are found throughout the savannah and have the benefit of spreading out the wildlife better protecting them from predators and disease.

More elephant trivia to come in future posts