Elephant

There are 2 main types of elephants, Indian elephant from India and southeast Asia, and the African elephant from south of the Sahara in tropical forests, savannas, deserts, and river valleys.

Elephants are the largest mammal on land. The adult elephant on average is 11,000 lbs. (5000 kg.) to 15,400 lbs. (7000 kg.), and 10 ft. (3 m.) to 13 ft. (4m.).

The most distinctive feature is its muscular boneless trunk. The elephant can drink as much as 50 gal. (190 liters) of water by drawing it into its nose and spraying it into its mouth. The elephant can eat 495 lbs. (225 kg ) of forage a day. They can also use their trunk to pull down trees, trumpet calls, ripping of foliage, and draw up dust for dust bathing. Elephants can pic up some small objects with its trunk.

The tusks of an elephant are actually very large teeth. The largest tusks that ever existed were on an African elephant. These tusks were 10.5 ft. (3.5 m.) long. When the teeth of the elephant are worn out the elephant can grow new ones. When 40 years old the elphant get its largest and final molars.

There is a thick cushion of tissue that grows of the bottom of the feet. This gives the elephant hooflike feet. This mammal can walk as fast as 4 mph (6.4 km/h). The elephant can charge as fast as 25 mph (40 km/h).

The elephant belongs to the Elephantidae family. The scientific name for the African elephant is Loxoclonta Africana. The scientific name for the Indian elephant is Elephas maximus.