African Elephant

The largest land mammal on the earth, weighing upmake up in size. Each molar can weigh more than five
to 16,000 pounds, elephants have captivatedpounds. With all the food that is eaten, their teeth
observers for centuries. Elephants have been usedtake a lot of wear and tear and they need to
for labor, war, entertainment and hunting. Elephantsreplace their teeth throughout their life, up to six
are one of the most unique animals due to theirtimes 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, fromthese incisor teeth, are used for defense, digging for
the Walt Disney film made in the 1940's. The largewater and uprooting trees. The ivory of these tusks
ears of elephants, exaggerated in this film, do nothas long been sought after and the primary reason
hear well, despite their size. They are instead used toelephants have been hunted.
help keep themselves cool. There are many bloodElephants are social animals. They live together in
vessels in the ears, that as they are flapped, easilyherds, with older females, called matriarchs, guiding
circulate the blood and keep body temperaturesthe family. Adult males generally live alone while
down, an ability that is essential in their desertyounger elephants, both male and female stay with
climates. Elephants ears are so effective due to theirthe 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 trunkfrom their mother up to five years. When a calf
of the elephant. The trunk is an elongated nose thatseems bothered or upset, the herd will come to its
has many purposes and functions, made up of overaide to comfort and caress. It is several more years
40,000 muscles, but no bones. They can use theirafter they stop nursing before they fully mature and
trunk to suck up water and then spray it into theirif 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 communicatedeath, as grieving seems to take place among a herd
with other elephants, as well as to smell and touchwhen one of their family members die.
each other affectionately. The trunk is used mostNot long ago there were over five million elephants
frequently though to eat. Elephants eat an averageon the earth, but there exists now less than a half
of 16 hours a day. Elephants use their trunk to reachmillion. Climate changes, as well as destruction of
up into trees to get food and pluck grass. Becausehabitat, and hunting have influenced the number of
they are such large animals and are herbivores whoelephants. Elephants need a lot of land because they
only eat grass, leaves, other vegetation that iseat so much, drink so much and are such large
available, African Elephants eat a high quantity ofcreatures. When humans are close, the elephants do
food, more than 700 pounds a day! They have tonot have the space they need and infringe on farm
eat so much because over half of all they consume island, 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. Evenand religion for some, they are quickly dwindling in
though they eat so much food,they have only fournumbers, and it is not known how long these
molar teeth. What they lack in numbers though, theycaptivating mammals will survive.