Elephants are the largest animals to live on land. They can grow up to four meters tall and weigh as much as 7000 kg. There are two species of elephants, the african one who lives is the grassland and savannah and the asian elephant who lives in the forest and is much smaller than the african elephant. Inerestingly, scientists discovered that asian elephants are more closely realted to the extinct mammoth than to the african elephant. Elephants eat approximately 250 kg of food per day, and poop around 100 kg in one day! They eat grass, small branches and bark from trees. Their favorite food is leaves from the top branches. Elephants reach those leaves by pushing the tree down with their head, then grasping the leaves with their trunk. They use their sharp tusks to scrape the bark.
An elephants trunk is nothing more than the elongation of their nose and their upper lip. Their trunk has no bones but has about 100,000 muscles and nerves that make it flexible. It is a very versatile tool - it can be used as a nose, an arm or a hand. It weighs 100 kg and is strong enough to kill a lion with a single swipe, yet the two finger-like projections at the end allow it to pick up a feather on the ground! An elephant can carry up to 15 liters of water in one go. They can either bring their trunk to their mouth and drink that water or splash their back to cool off. Their trunk is also used to collect food.
Their tusks are the elongated upper incisor teeth and are made of ivory. Both males and females have tusks. They grow throughout the elephant's life. Elephants use their tusks to fight but also to gather food. They have a preferred side (very much like left or right-handed humans) therefore the tusk they used the most will have a blunter tip than the other.
Their ears are covered with lots of blood vessels that form a unique pattern which can be used for identification. When an elephant flaps its ears, the blood located in the ears cool down then goes to the rest of the body, which cools off the elephant.
Elephants have quite small eyes in relationship to their size. They have long stiff, eyelashes to protect their eyes.
Elephants have about 450 liters of blood (adult humans have 5 liters of blood).
Elephants sleep standing up; adults rarely lie down as it is difficult for them to get up.
Elephants reach puberty at around fifteen years of age and can live up to seventy years old. The gestation period is 23 months and the cow usually gives birth to a single calf, and has a calf every two and a half to four years. Young elephants stay with their families for many years. It's not unusual for a group of elephants to live together all of their lives.
Elephants live in groups called herds. The herd is usually composed of up to ten females and their young. One of the female is called the matriarch; she is typically the oldest and largest female of the herd. All other females are directly related to the matriarch. The mature males only stay with the herd during mating.
Elephants like water and are very good swimmers. To cool off they splash themselves with water, roll in the mud or bath in lakes and rivers. When the water gets too deep, they hold their trunk above the water like a periscope. Herds have been known to travel ten miles or even farther to look for food and water. When elephants travel, they walk very quietly in single file. Young elephants are led by the older elephants with their tails. They stay close to their mothers at all times. The entire herd will protect the young ones if there's any sign of danger. Elephants walk well-worn trails that have been used for centuries. These trails lead to favorite watering places. The ability to find water is critical to their survival.
Elephants are very intelligent animals, with fascinating behavior, methods of communication and complex social structure. Smell is the most highly developed sense. Elephants sniff each other all over when they meet. By doing this, they are able to recognize one another. Deep growling or rumbling noises is the principle means of communication. Elephants make low-frequency calls, many of which, though loud, are too low for humans to hear. These sounds allow elephants to communicate with one another at distances of five or six miles. Sometimes elephants communicate with an ear-splitting blast when in danger or alarmed, causing others to form a protective circle around the younger members of the family group.