General Information
Elephants grow up to be around 11 feet tall and adults weigh anywhere from 7,000 to 13,000 pounds. They live to be approximately 60 to 70 years old and are herbivorous (Janssen).
There are two species of elephants remaining: the African elephant and the Asian elephant. Elephants live in herds, with related females and their offspring. The herd is led by the oldest, and often the largest, female called the matriarch. Anywhere from 8 to 100 elephants can live together in a herd. Males will grow until around age 12-15 when they are sexually mature, and then leave the herd to live a solitary life ("Basic Facts About Elephants").
Elephants are intelligent animals and have a well-developed long-term memory. They can display signs of joy, sadness, and anger ("Basic Facts").
Appearance
Their trunks are muscular, and serve many functions, such as a nose, hand, tool for gathering food and siphoning water, digging, and more. Both male and female African elephants have tusks, or elongated incisors. Only male Asian elephants have them (Janssen).
Baby elephants are born with no control over their trunks and must learn to use the muscles to control and move it in the way the elephant wants to. In the following YouTube video, a baby elephant is learning to use his trunk.
Elephants grow up to be around 11 feet tall and adults weigh anywhere from 7,000 to 13,000 pounds. They live to be approximately 60 to 70 years old and are herbivorous (Janssen).
There are two species of elephants remaining: the African elephant and the Asian elephant. Elephants live in herds, with related females and their offspring. The herd is led by the oldest, and often the largest, female called the matriarch. Anywhere from 8 to 100 elephants can live together in a herd. Males will grow until around age 12-15 when they are sexually mature, and then leave the herd to live a solitary life ("Basic Facts About Elephants").
Elephants are intelligent animals and have a well-developed long-term memory. They can display signs of joy, sadness, and anger ("Basic Facts").
Appearance
Their trunks are muscular, and serve many functions, such as a nose, hand, tool for gathering food and siphoning water, digging, and more. Both male and female African elephants have tusks, or elongated incisors. Only male Asian elephants have them (Janssen).
Baby elephants are born with no control over their trunks and must learn to use the muscles to control and move it in the way the elephant wants to. In the following YouTube video, a baby elephant is learning to use his trunk.
African elephants have large ears that help to radiate heat and help keep the animal cool. The Asian elephants have smaller, more rounded ears than the African elephants. The African elephants are also the largest land animals ("African Elephant").
Habitat
African elephants are divided into two subspecies: Savannah and Forest. The African Savannah elephants are found in Savannah zones south of the Sahara Desert. The African Forest elephants are found in dense rain forests that are located in West and Central Africa. Asian elephants are divided into four subspecies: Sri Lankan, Sumatran, Borneo, and Indian. Asian elephants are found in India, China, Sri Lanka, and much of southeast Asia ("Basic Facts").
In the following map, African and Asian elephant locations are shown in red.
Habitat
African elephants are divided into two subspecies: Savannah and Forest. The African Savannah elephants are found in Savannah zones south of the Sahara Desert. The African Forest elephants are found in dense rain forests that are located in West and Central Africa. Asian elephants are divided into four subspecies: Sri Lankan, Sumatran, Borneo, and Indian. Asian elephants are found in India, China, Sri Lanka, and much of southeast Asia ("Basic Facts").
In the following map, African and Asian elephant locations are shown in red.
Diet
Elephants are herbivores, and eat grasses, roots, bark, and in some cases, bananas and sugar cane. The adults can eat anywhere from 300 to 400 pounds of food a day ("Basic Facts").
Reproduction
Mating season is usually during rainy seasons. Gestation is 22 months long, and the female elephant only has one calf at a time. The calf weighs between 200 and 250 pounds at birth. It doesn't have any control over its trunk, and it takes several months to gain full control ("Basic Facts").
References
African Elephant. (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2015, from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/african-elephant/
Basic Facts About Elephants. (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2015, from http://www.defenders.org/elephant/basic-facts
Janssen, P. (n.d.). Elephant facts. Retrieved January 10, 2015, from http://www.outtoafrica.nl/animals/engelephant.html
Elephants are herbivores, and eat grasses, roots, bark, and in some cases, bananas and sugar cane. The adults can eat anywhere from 300 to 400 pounds of food a day ("Basic Facts").
Reproduction
Mating season is usually during rainy seasons. Gestation is 22 months long, and the female elephant only has one calf at a time. The calf weighs between 200 and 250 pounds at birth. It doesn't have any control over its trunk, and it takes several months to gain full control ("Basic Facts").
References
African Elephant. (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2015, from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/african-elephant/
Basic Facts About Elephants. (n.d.). Retrieved January 10, 2015, from http://www.defenders.org/elephant/basic-facts
Janssen, P. (n.d.). Elephant facts. Retrieved January 10, 2015, from http://www.outtoafrica.nl/animals/engelephant.html