| The largest land mammal on the earth, weighing up | | | | make up in size. Each molar can weigh more than five |
| to 16,000 pounds, elephants have captivated | | | | pounds. With all the food that is eaten, their teeth |
| observers for centuries. Elephants have been used | | | | take a lot of wear and tear and they need to |
| for labor, war, entertainment and hunting. Elephants | | | | replace their teeth throughout their life, up to six |
| are one of the most unique animals due to their | | | | times for some. Their large tusks that extend out in |
| enormous size and unusual physical characteristics. | | | | front of them are also teeth, but instead of chewing, |
| One of the most popular elephants is Dumbo, from | | | | these incisor teeth, are used for defense, digging for |
| the Walt Disney film made in the 1940's. The large | | | | water and uprooting trees. The ivory of these tusks |
| ears of elephants, exaggerated in this film, do not | | | | has long been sought after and the primary reason |
| hear well, despite their size. They are instead used to | | | | elephants have been hunted. |
| help keep themselves cool. There are many blood | | | | Elephants are social animals. They live together in |
| vessels in the ears, that as they are flapped, easily | | | | herds, with older females, called matriarchs, guiding |
| circulate the blood and keep body temperatures | | | | the family. Adult males generally live alone while |
| down, an ability that is essential in their desert | | | | younger elephants, both male and female stay with |
| climates. Elephants ears are so effective due to their | | | | the herd. Baby elephants, called calves, have a |
| size, ranging from two to three feet across. | | | | gestation period of 18-22 months and typically nurse |
| One of the most distinguishing attributes is the trunk | | | | from their mother up to five years. When a calf |
| of the elephant. The trunk is an elongated nose that | | | | seems bothered or upset, the herd will come to its |
| has many purposes and functions, made up of over | | | | aide to comfort and caress. It is several more years |
| 40,000 muscles, but no bones. They can use their | | | | after they stop nursing before they fully mature and |
| trunk to suck up water and then spray it into their | | | | if they are male, move out to be on their own. Their |
| mouth to drink, wash themselves and keep cool. | | | | social nature is also reflected in their awareness of |
| They use it to warn of danger and communicate | | | | death, as grieving seems to take place among a herd |
| with other elephants, as well as to smell and touch | | | | when one of their family members die. |
| each other affectionately. The trunk is used most | | | | Not long ago there were over five million elephants |
| frequently though to eat. Elephants eat an average | | | | on the earth, but there exists now less than a half |
| of 16 hours a day. Elephants use their trunk to reach | | | | million. Climate changes, as well as destruction of |
| up into trees to get food and pluck grass. Because | | | | habitat, and hunting have influenced the number of |
| they are such large animals and are herbivores who | | | | elephants. Elephants need a lot of land because they |
| only eat grass, leaves, other vegetation that is | | | | eat so much, drink so much and are such large |
| available, African Elephants eat a high quantity of | | | | creatures. When humans are close, the elephants do |
| food, more than 700 pounds a day! They have to | | | | not have the space they need and infringe on farm |
| eat so much because over half of all they consume is | | | | land, even eating crops. Although elephants have |
| passed through their systems undigested. | | | | been revered for centuries and a symbol for faith |
| Elephants have the largest teeth of any animal. Even | | | | and religion for some, they are quickly dwindling in |
| though they eat so much food,they have only four | | | | numbers, and it is not known how long these |
| molar teeth. What they lack in numbers though, they | | | | captivating mammals will survive. |