They are the largest mammals on earth. Ears of African elephants are shaped like the African continent. They can eat up to 300lbs of food a day! An elephant’s trunk can be used for smelling, trumpeting, drinking and grabbing things. Elephants like water and they shower by sucking water into their trunks and then spraying it all over themselves. Male and female African elephants have tusks; they use them to dig for food and water and to strip the bark off of trees. Their tusks are made of ivory, it is considered a very valuable commodity, and humans for this reason sometimes hunt them even though it is illegal. Elephants do not sleep very much and they roam great distances.
Elephants are in gestation for 22 months! At birth, they already weigh about 200lbs and they stand 3ft tall.
Diet | Herbivore: Mainly leaves, Roots, Grasses, Fruit and Bark |
Size | To shoulder height: 8.2 - 13 feet |
Weight | 5,000-14,000 lbs |
Species | Mammal |
Average Life Span | Up to 70 years |
Group Name | Herd |
Protection Status | Threatened |