[post_page_title]Momma and baby[/post_page_title]
In an elephant’s matriarchal herd, all of the cows help each other with their babies. Baby elephants rely heavily on their mothers for roughly three years, which is longer than almost any other animal.
Offspring remains somewhat dependent on their mothers until the age of about 6, with bulls leaving the herd between eight and 18-years-old, while females stick with their natal herds all their life, which is led by the eldest elephant. This makes elephants one of the closest-knit and maternal group of animals in existence.