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Cladistically included but traditionally excluded taxa. † Mammuthus Brookes, 1828. Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ( Loxodonta africana ), the African forest elephant ( L. cyclotis ), and the Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ).
- What Is The African Elephant?
- Trunks and Tusks
- Diet
- Herds
- Threats to Survival
- Conservation
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African elephants are the largest land animalson Earth. They are slightly larger than their Asian cousins and can be identified by their larger ears that look somewhat like the continent of Africa. (Asian elephants have smaller, rounded ears.) Although they were long grouped together as one species, scientists have determined that there are actuall...
Elephant ears radiate heat to help keep these large animals cool, but sometimes the African heat is too much. Elephants are fond of water and enjoy showering by sucking water into their trunks and spraying it all over themselves. Afterwards, they often spray their skin with a protective coating of dust. An elephant's trunk is actually a long nose u...
Elephants eat roots, grasses, fruit, and bark. An adult elephant can consume up to 300 pounds of food in a single day. These hungry animals do not sleep much, roaming great distanceswhile foraging for the large quantities of food that they require to sustain their massive bodies. African elephants range throughout the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa...
Elephants are matriarchal, meaning they live in female-led groups. The matriarch is usually the biggest and oldest. She presides over a multi-generational herd that includes other females, called cows, and their young. Adult males, called bulls, tend to roam on their own, sometimes forming smaller, more loosely associated all-male groups. Having a ...
Poaching for the illegal ivory trade is the biggest threat to African elephants’ survival. Before the Europeans began colonizing Africa, there may have been as many as 26 million elephants. By the early 20th century, their numbers had dropped to 10 million. Hunting continued to increase. By 1970, their numbers were down to 1.3 million. Between 1970...
The decision to recognize African elephants as two separate species is seen as an important step for conservation, as it highlights the different challenges that each species faces. Scientists hope that the listing will bring more attention to forest elephants, which have often been overlooked by governments and donors when grouped together with mo...
Learn about the two species of African elephants, their size, diet, behavior, threats and how they shape their habitat. See stunning images of these majestic animals and their trunks, tusks and ears.
- 5 min
Jan 25, 2018 · As the world's largest land mammal, elephants have quite the commanding presence. But did you know elephants can't jump? Or that baby elephants lose their fi...
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- Nat Geo WILD
Learn about elephants, the largest land mammals on earth, and their distinct characteristics, social behavior, and ecological importance. Find out how WWF is working to protect elephants from poaching, habitat loss, and human-elephant conflict.
- They’re the world’s largest land animal. The African Savanna (Bush) elephant is the world's largest land animal – with adult males, or bull elephants, standing up to 3m high and weighing up to 6,000kg on average.
- You can tell the three species apart by their ears. There are three species of elephant: African Savanna (Bush), African Forest and Asian. The ears of African elephants are much larger than their cousins and are described as being shaped like the African continent, whereas the ears of Asian elephants are shaped like the Indian subcontinent.
- Their trunks have mad skills. Elephants have around 150,000 muscle units in their trunk. Their trunks are perhaps the most sensitive organ found in any mammal.
- Their tusks are actually teeth. Elephant tusks are actually enlarged incisor teeth which first appear when elephants are around 2 years old. Tusks continue growing throughout their lives.
Sep 13, 2016 · African elephants can live up to 70 years! Learn more amazing facts about the African Elephant in this video from National Geographic Kids. Subscribe for mo...
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- Nat Geo Kids
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Learn about the largest land animal on Earth, its habitat, diet, reproduction, and threats. Find out how elephants are ecosystem engineers and how they are protected in 23 countries.
