hear are some pictures of elephants
Elephants belong to the family Elephantidae. They are the largest land animals in the world. They have the biggest brain (12 pounds), the thickest skin (1 inch) and the longest nose (their trunk is about 8 feet). Their waistline is about 16 feet.
Elephants belong to the order of Proboscidae, named for their trunks. Around 1 million years ago there were 11 species of proboscidean. Soon most of these species disappeared and only 3 survived: the mammoth (which became extinct 3,000-4,000 years ago) and the African and Asian elephants.
The African Elephant species is divided into two subspecies: the forest and the savannah. The forest elephant is smaller, has downward-pointed tusks, and smaller, rounder ears. The savannah elephant is larger and more widespread.
African elephants weigh up to 14,000 pounds. They have big ears, two-fingered trunks, concave backs, flat foreheads and large tusks. There are about 420,000 African elephants spread out over 37 African countries. They are native to a wide variety of habitats including open savannas and dense forests.
Asian elephants weigh up to 11,000 pounds. They have small ears, one-fingered trunks, convex backs, two bumps on their forehead and small tusks. There are about 35,000 Asian elephants spread out over 12 southeast Asian countries, including India. They live in large blocks of forest near water sources and grasslands. |
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