The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest living land animal on earth. They average about 10 feet tall at the shoulder and about 6 tons. Their life span is about 70 years. Unlike the Asian elephant, both male and females have tusks. An easy way to tell an African elephant from a Asian elephant is by looking at the ears. An African elephant has huge ears that are shaped like the continent of Africa. The ears not only hear well, but also help the elephant lose excess heat, as hot blood flows near the surface of the skin. The male is called a bull and the female a cow. They are mammals that have very strong, social family groups headed by the female. Elephants breathe through two nostrils at the end of their trunk, which is an extension of the nose. The trunk is also used to get water and food. To get water, the elephant sucks water into the trunk, then curls the trunk towards the mouth and squirts the water into it. The trunk has two grasping extensions at the tip, which it uses like a hand. The elephants diet consists of roots, grasses, leaves, fruit, and bark. They use their tusks and trunk to get the food. The elephants have few natural enemies except for man. They are in danger of extinction due to loss of habitat and poaching. Learn more about the African Elephant at the following sites.

http://elephant.elehost.com/
http://www.seaworld.org/AnimalBytes/african_elephantab.html

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