Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at a mineral lick. A mineral lick or salt lick is a natural deposit of salts or minerals where animals go to lick es

---

Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at a mineral lick. A mineral lick or salt lick is a natural deposit of salts or minerals where animals go to lick essential mineral nutrients. These deposits provide the biometals (sodium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and trace elements) required for health and growth, especially where the ecosystem is generally lacking in such nutrients. Photographed in India.

---

Size: 3564px × 2526px
Photo credit: © K JAYARAM/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, adult, animal, asian, asiatic, behaviour, biological, biology, biometal, deposit, diet, dietary, element, elephant, elephas, endangered, family, fauna, foliage, forest, group, herbivore, herbivorous, herd, india, indian, lick, mammal, maximus, mineral, multiple, natural, nature, nutrient, salt, species, supplement, threatened, trace, trunk, wildlife, world, zoological, zoology