In Asia, elephants can be
found in habitats ranging from open grassland to thick forests, and
from the Himalayan foothills right down to the shores of the Indian
Ocean.
photo M. Noonan
They are a tropical species that depends
upon the kind of lush vegetation that comes with lots of rainfall.
photo M. Noonan
In
fact, despite their enormous size, Asian elephants are often found
in such thick vegetation (as in the picture to the right), they are
difficult to spot.
photo M. Noonan
Asian elephants are more
active at dawn and dusk, and during the night, than they
are during the day. This is because the midday
heat in the tropics presents a real challenge for
elephants who must avoid overheating. That is why
daytime elephant observers commonly find them avoiding
activity and resting in the shade of trees like the
mother-daughter pair pictured to the left.
