Habit of sumatran elephant

A. Social Habit

A.1. Living in herd
In natural habitat, elephant lives in herd (gregarius). Living in group is a social habit that pays important role in protecting the herd members. Number of members in one herd is varied depending on weather and resources condition in the habitat in particular the availability of food and extent of home range. One group elephant comprises about 20-35 elephants or some say about 3-23 elephants

Each Sumatran Elephant herd is led by the biggest adult cow, while the adult bull only lives periodically for breeding with some cows in that group. Old bull will live in solitaire since he is unable to follow his group. Young bull, reaching his adolescence is pushed to leave the group or voluntarily join other bull group. Meanwhile, young cow keep staying in the group and acts as the "nanny" in the group.

A.2. Roaming
Naturaly elephants roam in group following permanent paricular paths within one year period of travel. Elephant home range can reach 7 km in one night, even it can reach 15 km per day in dry season or fruit season. Elephant's speed to walk and run in forest and in swamp exceed that of human being's in the same area. Elephant can also swim to cross deep river using their trunk as the snorkel gear or breathing pipe.

When roaming, elephant herd will communicate each other to keep the group integrity. Elephants communicate using soft sound produced by the vibration of its upper trunk. It has been discoverred recently that elephants can communicate through subsonic sound that can reach 5 km. This finding has unveiled the mystery of coordination of elephant herd in search of food in far split up distance while they don't see each other.

A.3. Breeding
Elephants do not have breeding season, they can breed along the year ,however breeding occurs more often when rainy season reaches its top frequence in the area. Bull often behaves outrageously called musht which is indicated by secretion of temporal gland which drips onto its cheek between eyes and ears in black color and with stimulating smell. This habit occurs 3-5 times within 1-4 weeks and is often related with lust periode, however strong evidences 
this matter are still not available.

 
B. Individual Habit

B.1. Eating habit
Elephant is terrestrial mammal which is active at day and night, however most of them are active from 2 hours before late afternoon till 2 hours before dawn to search for food. Elephants often search for food while walking at night for 16-18 hours per day. They are not thrifty toward food thus they tend to leave much food leftover if there is better food available.

B.2. Drinking 
When bathing in river, elephants drink with their mouth while when bathing in shallow river or swamp they suck the the water with their trunks. Elephants are able to suck water to 9 litter in once suck.

B.3. Wallowing
Elephant often wallows in the mud at day light and afternoon when it searches for food. Wallowing habit is important to protect their skin from extoparacyte insect bite besides for cooling down its body.

B.4. Mineral lick 
Elephant search for salt by licking things or other objects containing salt with its trunk. Elephants also often hurt themselves to brush their blood that contains salt.

B.5. Resting
Elephants sleep twice in a day; at midnight, and day light. At night, elephants often sleep by lying down their body to the side using pillow made from grasses. In exhausted condition, they will snore. Meanwhile, at day light elephants sleep while standing under shady trees.