Elephants are among the most iconic and majestic animals on the planet, known for their enormous size and equally enormous appetites. But what exactly do elephants eat, and how do their feeding habits influence their lives and the ecosystems they inhabit? Let’s dive into the world of elephant diets.
Herbivorous Giants
Elephants are herbivores, meaning they (almost) exclusively eat plant-based foods. Their diet primarily consists of a wide variety of vegetation, including grasses, leaves, fruits, bark, and roots. However, the specific diet of an elephant can vary depending on its species, habitat, and the availability of food.
Grasses
In savanna environments, grasses make up a significant portion of an elephant’s diet. During the wet season, when grasses are abundant, elephants will often graze for hours, consuming large quantities to meet their dietary needs.
Leaves and Twigs
Elephants also consume leaves and twigs from trees and shrubs. Their trunks, with their dexterous tips, allow them to strip leaves from branches with ease. During the dry season, when grasses are sparse, leaves and twigs become even more crucial.
Tsavo’s Elephants
In the Tsavo National Parks, elephants have adapted their diet to the region’s semi-arid conditions. These elephants primarily consume leaves from shrubs and trees, which are more prevalent in their environment. However during the rainy season, they increase their intake of grasses, although this only constitutes a significant part of their diet for a short period. On average, grass makes up between 10% and 15% of their diet, but can spike to up to 60% during those brief intervals of abundance.
Fruits
Elephants are known to have a sweet tooth and will go out of their way to find fruit. In forests, they might feed on wild mangoes, figs, or other tropical fruits. Elephants play a vital role in seed dispersal, as the seeds they consume pass through their digestive system and are deposited in different areas, helping to regenerate plant life.
African Forest Elephants
African forest elephants are particularly adept fruit eaters. In the Congo Basin they not only consume a wide variety of fruits but also play a vital role in the ecosystem by dispersing seeds through their dung. Known as the “gardeners of the forest,” they transport seeds over vast distances, helping to maintain the biodiversity of their habitat. This process supports the growth of fruit-bearing trees along the paths they create, effectively shaping and sustaining the forest ecosystem.
Bark
Bark is another important food source, especially during dry seasons when other foods are scarce. Elephants use their tusks to strip bark from trees, providing them with essential nutrients such as calcium and roughage that aids digestion.
Roots
In times of food scarcity, elephants may dig up roots and bulbs from the ground. This behavior is more common in arid regions where above-ground vegetation is limited.
Soil
Elephants, like many animals, will regularly, and intentionally, consume soil in order to access vital minerals. This is a process known as geophagy.
Whether it’s sucking excess dirt off their trunks or actively digging and consuming soil from specific geological formations, these large mammals rely on the minerals from the soil as much as they depend on vegetation.
If you would like to learn more about geophagy in elephants, follow this link.
Crops
Elephants are remarkably intelligent creatures and can easily recognize the superior nutritional value of human-grown crops. Unfortunately, for the communities around elephant populations, this leads to an increased likelihood of crop raids by elephants. Crop raids can cause serious damage not only to people’s property but also to their livelihood. It can also increase the likelihood of human-wildlife conflict, resulting in the deaths of both people and elephants.
At Tsavo Trust, fostering coexistence between humans and elephants is one of our core missions. That’s why we have helped install elephant-proof fences for many community members surrounding Tsavo Conservation Areas, so both elephants and humans can thrive in these ecosystems.
If you would like to learn how you can help support Tsavo Trust’s efforts, follow this link.
Daily Consumption
An adult elephant can consume anywhere from 150 to 300 kilograms (330 to 660 pounds) of food per day. Given their large size, they need to eat for up to 16 hours a day to meet their nutritional requirements. This constant feeding also leads to significant impacts on their environment.
Water Intake
In addition to their solid diet, elephants require a substantial amount of water, drinking up to 200 liters (about 50 gallons) per day. Water is essential not only for hydration but also for cooling their bodies in the hot climates they often inhabit.
Feeding Behaviour and Social Dynamics
Elephants’ feeding habits are deeply intertwined with their social behaviour. For example, matriarchs (the oldest and most experienced females in a herd) often lead their groups to feeding grounds and water sources. Young elephants learn what to eat and where to find food by following and mimicking older members of the herd.
In Tsavo, we also regularly observe that when the rainy season arrives and grass is abundant, the elephants begin to congregate in larger numbers, socializing, reaffirming family bonds, and sharing information.
Impact on Ecosystems
Elephants are keystone species, meaning their feeding habits have a profound impact on the ecosystems they inhabit. By uprooting trees, trampling vegetation, and dispersing seeds, they shape the landscape, creating environments that benefit other species. In areas where elephant populations are high, this can lead to overgrazing and habitat degradation. Research is also suggesting that elephant seed dispersal may actually be helping fight climate change, bringing tree seeds to new areas.
Elephants’ diets are as diverse as the landscapes they roam, with their feeding habits playing a crucial role in both their survival and the health of their ecosystems. Understanding what elephants eat helps us appreciate the complexity of their lives and the importance of conserving the habitats they depend on. Whether they’re grazing on grasses in the savanna, stripping bark from trees in the forest, or creating boulevards of fruiting trees in rainforests, elephants are remarkable creatures whose dietary needs drive much of their behaviour and influence the world around them.