Syrian elephant (SciiFii)

The Syrian elephant or Western Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus asurus) is a subspecies of Asian elephant that originally lived from the Middle East: Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria, from periods dating between at least 1800 BC and likely 700 BC, and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced back to its former range. Syrian elephants are among the largest Asian elephant subspecies to survive into historic times, measuring 3.5 metres (11 feet 6 inches) or more at the shoulder; on par with the largest reported Indian elephants. Their skin colour is lighter than that of the Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) with smaller patches of depigmentation, but darker than that of the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus). Females are usually smaller than males, and have short or no tusks. Like other Asian elephant subspecies, Syrian elephants have smaller ears, but relatively broader skulls and larger trunks than African elephants. Toes are large and broad. Unlike their African cousins, their abdomen is proportionate with their body weight but the African elephant has a large abdomen as compared to the skulls. Syrian elephants are classified as megaherbivores and consume up to 150 kg (330 lb) of plant matter per day. They are generalist feeders, and both grazers and browsers. Like other elephants, Syrian elephant females are social animals and live in large herds, while the adult males are solitary animals, only needing to mate with the females during the breeding season. The conservation status of the Syrian elephant is Vulnerable due to some habitat loss and historic poaching, however, thanks to the conservationists, the Syrian elephants are a protected species and are making a comeback.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii