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