Classification

Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Proboscidea
Family: Elephantidae
Species: Loxodonta africana

Statistics

Weight male: 5000-6000 kg
Weight female: 2750-3250 kg
Height: normally 2,7-3,2 m, but can be up to 4 m
Life expectancy: 60-70 years
Pregnancy: 22 months

Habitat

Photograph taken by John Davison from Wildlife Experiences

The African elephant can be found South of the Sahara, always in areas where there are trees. These days they can mostly be found in nature reserves.

Food

The African elephant is the largest still living land mamal. It is bigger and heavier than the Asian elephant, it has bigger ears, its trunk has an upper and lower sharp end and the female African elephant also has visible tusks. Elephants are plant eaters and need enourmous amounts of grass, plants, twigs, roots and turnips. They consume 135-180 kg a day and need a vast area to live in to be able to find enough food to survive.

The trunk is the eye-catcher of the elephant. It serves as a nasal organ, tentacle and as an aid for drinking. With the trunk up high it senses for trees with ripe fruits or for danger. Elephants use it to recognize other elephants of their herd or to examine their food. With the sharper ends it can grab leaves and twigs of trees. When elephants drink they suck water into the trunk and blow it into their mouths, because they cannot touch the ground with their mouths.