About the African Elephant
The African Elephant is considered the largest animal to walk this earth at the moment. Unfortunately, they are also one of the animals that are most likely to become extinct because of the high demand of their Ivory teeth. The African elephant can measure in height anywhere from 8.2 to 13 feet tall and weight 5,000 to 14,000 pounds. They have a life span on average of about 50-70 years (National Geographic, n.d, African Elephants, African Elephant Pictures, African Elephant Facts).
These beautiful mammals are herbivores, meaning their diet only consist of plant and fruits. An elephant can eat up to 300 pounds of food in a single day (National Geographic, n.d, African Elephants, African Elephant Pictures, African Elephant Facts ). These animals are considered herd animals. A herd animal stay together in a group with other animals of its kind for a specific purpose like protection (dictionary.com, n.d.). Elephants are also know for their amazing memory and intelligence. It is truly fascinating the retention and mind capacity of these animals. Below is a video of an elephant whom is painting a picture of what he saw in a mirror, trained or not it is still amazing:
These beautiful mammals are herbivores, meaning their diet only consist of plant and fruits. An elephant can eat up to 300 pounds of food in a single day (National Geographic, n.d, African Elephants, African Elephant Pictures, African Elephant Facts ). These animals are considered herd animals. A herd animal stay together in a group with other animals of its kind for a specific purpose like protection (dictionary.com, n.d.). Elephants are also know for their amazing memory and intelligence. It is truly fascinating the retention and mind capacity of these animals. Below is a video of an elephant whom is painting a picture of what he saw in a mirror, trained or not it is still amazing:
African elephants are mainly found in the Southern parts of Africa and their herd roams through about 37 different countries in Africa (World Wildlife Fund, n.d, b, African Elephant ). They are also breeds of elephant is asian which are considered the "cousin" of the African Elephant (National Geographic, n.d, African Elephants, African Elephant Pictures, African Elephant Facts ). One feature that distinguishes them from each other is the size of their ears, the Asian elephant has ears that are smaller with an oval shape. African elephant's ears are larger with more of a half-heart kind of shape. Both African and Asian elephants use their ears to heat cool them off from the heat during the day (National Geographic, n.d, African Elephants, African Elephant Pictures, African Elephant Facts ).
Another feature that both the African and Asian elephants have is their long nose, also know as their trunks. These trunks alone have over 100,000 different muscles and are used for many things such as smelling, grabbing things, drinking water, breathing and as a "hose" for spraying water on themselves when they are feeling hot (National Geographic, n.d, African Elephants, African Elephant Pictures, African Elephant Facts ). The trunk of the elephant serves almost as hands and nose for these animals.
Males and females can be distinguished obviously by their genital parts, but also by the size of their tusks. Male tusks actually are smaller than that of female tusks. It is said that this is because male African elephants need the long tusks as a form of protection when fighting other elephants (National Geographic, n.d, African Elephants, African Elephant Pictures, African Elephant Facts ). The male elephants are more likely to be the ones attacked when it comes to ivory poaching because since their tusks are bigger, there is more ivory meaning more profit for the hunter.
Males and females can be distinguished obviously by their genital parts, but also by the size of their tusks. Male tusks actually are smaller than that of female tusks. It is said that this is because male African elephants need the long tusks as a form of protection when fighting other elephants (National Geographic, n.d, African Elephants, African Elephant Pictures, African Elephant Facts ). The male elephants are more likely to be the ones attacked when it comes to ivory poaching because since their tusks are bigger, there is more ivory meaning more profit for the hunter.