Elephant - description, species, where it lives. How many years does an elephant live? Sexual orientation of elephants

Elephants are large mammals, of which there are two species: African and Indian. Mammoths used to live on Earth (they became extinct in ice age) and mastodons (extinct during the period of the first appearance of man on the North American continent). In this article we will answer the question: “Where do elephants live?” and consider their habitat and habits.

Differences between Indian and African elephants

Contrary to the apparent one hundred percent external resemblance from Indian and African elephants many differences. Let's take a closer look at them.

African elephants are superior to their Indian relatives in size and weight. The height of an adult animal living in Africa reaches 3.7 meters and weighs 6.5 tons. For comparison, for Indian relatives these figures are 3.5 meters and 5 tons.
African elephants have larger ears, with veins clearly visible through their thin skin. It is noteworthy that each individual has a different pattern of veins on its ears, just like people’s fingerprints.
Distinctive feature African elephants are considered to have long, strong tusks in every animal, regardless of gender. U Indian elephants Only males have this decoration. Tusks grow throughout life and act as an indicator of age.
The Indian elephant is calmer. Thanks to simple training, he becomes a reliable assistant to a person. He is trained to transport trees, lay planks, or retrieve objects from rivers.

That's not all interesting facts about these animals. The following information will be useful to schoolchildren who want to get the maximum score for the Unified State Exam. Among the elephants there are “left-handed” and “right-handed”. Belonging to a certain category is determined by which tusk is shorter. These animals work with one tusk, as a result of which it wears out faster.

Elephant bone is expensive as an ornamental base, so they often die at the hands of poachers. Now the ivory trade has been banned, but still hundreds of these amazing animals die every year due to human fault.

Elephants have 4 molars. The weight of each tooth the size of a brick reaches 2-3 kilograms. Animals replace their molars 6 times during their life. With age, tooth sensitivity increases, which forces animals to stay closer to swampy areas with soft vegetation.

The elephant differs from other animals in its impressive body weight, design, behavior and presence long nose. The trunk is the connection between the upper lip and nose, with which it showers, breathes, smells, drinks and makes sounds. With this organ, containing 100 thousand muscles, the animal takes objects weighing up to a ton and carries tens of kilometers.

Habitat and habits of elephants

African giant lives in the steppes of Africa and Egypt. Indian individuals live in India, Ceylon, Indochina, and Burma.

Elephants live in a herd of up to 50 individuals, which are bound by behavioral norms. Some live separately because they are more likely to show aggression and are dangerous.
There is a friendly atmosphere in the herd, relatives take care of the offspring and support each other.
These are socially developed animals. They can show emotions and remember objects, places and people.

Elephants eat 130 kg of food per day (leaves, bark, fruits) and most of They spend time searching for it. Sleep no more than 4 hours a day. Animals are often located near rivers or lakes and drink 200 liters of water per day. The elephant is a good swimmer and easily swims long distances regardless of body weight.

The giant has a massive skeleton, making up 15% of its body weight. The skin reaches a thickness of 25 mm and is shrouded in sparse hairs. On average, an elephant lives 70 years. He cannot jump, but his running speed reaches 30 km per hour.

The female carries the baby for 88 weeks. This is a record among animals. A baby elephant is born every four years, weighing about 90 kg and measuring about a meter in height. The birth of a baby is important for members of the herd.

These mammals clear language communication. When an elephant is depressed or aggressive, the ears become spread apart. For protection, tusks, trunk and massive legs are used. In a moment of danger or fright, the animal squeals and, running away, literally demolishes everything in its path.

Where do elephants live in captivity?

Almost every zoo has elephants. It is not surprising, because they arouse special interest among the public. But sometimes even well-known zoos, due to the lack of a suitable place to keep them, refuse these animals.

IN limited space elephants suffer from boredom. IN natural environment they spend a lot of time searching for and absorbing food. In a small enclosure it is not possible to wander around enough, and a small number of individuals leads to disruption of social contacts.

European zoos are trying to provide elephants with spacious pens for walking. Less docile males, who are dangerous in a state of turmoil, are given additional space. Some zoos provide pens for females with their offspring. This allows members of the small herd to get to know the new addition.

Huge value Diversity of range plays a role in elephant breeding. Large elephant herds set up enclosures so that animals can move freely. Such conditions are more suitable for successful breeding in captivity.

Elephants are socially developed mammals. For many reasons, this species is on the verge of extinction. Animals need protection and protection. This fact found a lot positive feedback among scientists and officials. Nature reserves are being actively created where animals live under protection. The territory of such complexes must correspond normal environment habitat. On at the moment Several reserves meet these requirements, including:

National Park Bandipur, India.
Amboseli National Park, Kenya.
Elephant Sanctuary in Knysna, South Africa.
Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, Malaysia.
Elephant Safari Park, Bali.

Each of the listed places is ideal for entertaining summer holiday.

People harm environment, therefore, many species of animals are dying out, but there remains hope that some of the most large mammals– elephants will continue to live not only in captivity, but also in their native environment. The task of man is to help ensure that children can enjoy the greatness of these animals in the vastness of the savannah and forests.

Elephants are unique animals in their anatomy and physiology. They are so different from all other mammals that they are separated into an independent order of Proboscis, which includes only 2 species. Much is known in fossil form more types extinct proboscideans, of which the most famous is the mammoth. Currently, only African and Indian elephants have survived.

African elephants (Loxodonta africana).

The appearance of these animals is as similar as elephants are different from all other animals. The first thing that catches your eye is the size. Elephants are truly giants of the animal world, the largest of all land creatures. The Indian elephant reaches a height of 2.5 m and a weight of 3-5 tons, the African elephant is even larger - its height reaches 4 m and its weight is 5-7 tons. The body of elephants is very massive, the head is relatively large, the legs are proportionally powerful and thick. The ears also reach considerable sizes, but the eyes, on the contrary, are very small. An elephant's range of vision is not very good, but its hearing is excellent. An elephant can hear thunder at a distance of up to 100 km! This hearing is explained by the fact that elephants are able to hear (and produce) infrasounds. Herds of elephants use these sounds to communicate in long distance, because low-frequency waves propagate over long distances. Elephants' ears are very mobile and the animals constantly wave them. On the one hand, the extensive surface of the ears, through which blood is pumped, helps cool the body (this is especially noticeable in African elephant); on the other hand, the ears perform a communicative function. Elephants use movements of their ears to greet their fellow tribesmen and threaten their enemies.

In the midday heat, the elephant flaps its ears to cool down.

But the most unusual organ of an elephant is, of course, the trunk. The trunk is not a nose, as many people think, but completely unique organ, formed by the fused nose and upper lip. Moreover, the trunk has its own system of powerful muscles and tendons. Thanks to this structure, the trunk has both strength and flexibility. The power of the trunk is such that with its help the elephant is able to destroy trees and lift logs. At the end of the trunk there is a mobile and sensitive outgrowth, with the help of which the elephant is able to touch and manipulate the smallest objects. Elephants recognize the texture of various surfaces well; they can, for example, pick up coins or paint with a brush. The trunk plays an irreplaceable role in the life of an elephant: the animal needs it to obtain food, protect itself, and communicate.

Trunk hugs are a mandatory attribute of friendly relations.

Elephants also drink water with the help of their trunk, because a tall and short-necked elephant cannot drink with its mouth. Only baby elephants can suck their mothers with their mouths, while adult elephants suck in water with their trunks and then pour them into their mouths. Elephants, deprived of their trunks due to injury, try to graze on their knees, but eventually die.

The elephant's powerful body is covered with thick and rough skin. It is dotted with numerous deep wrinkles. Adult elephants are practically hairless, and newborn elephant calves are covered with sparse, stiff bristles. The color of elephants is uniform gray or brownish.

The elephant's skin is covered with sparse bristles.

With its size and build, the elephant gives the impression of a clumsy and noisy animal. When they want to emphasize a person’s awkwardness they say “like a bull in a china shop.” But this opinion is also wrong. The elephant moves almost silently. This effect is achieved thanks to special structure soles, it springs when pressure is applied to the foot, and then takes on its original shape. By the way, the hind legs of an elephant, unlike other quadrupeds, bend forward.

An elephant's toes have tiny hooves.

But, as it turns out, elephants have another paradox in store. The fact is that the massive skull of an elephant contains a relatively small brain. It would seem that animals with such a brain structure should not be distinguished by intelligence, but elephants are one of the smartest mammals.

Elephants live in tropical zone. The African elephant's range extends along the equator and south to the Cape region. Once these animals inhabited the northern part of the continent, but with the expansion of the Sahara Desert they were forced to retreat to the south. Indian elephants live on the Hindustan Peninsula and Indochina. African elephant populations are found in both dense tropical forests and open savannas bordering semi-deserts. Indian elephants are exclusively forest dwellers. Both species of elephants lead a herd lifestyle. Elephant herds consist of females with young animals, led by an old, experienced elephant. Males always keep to themselves, joining the herd only during mating. Elephants maintain a sensitive relationship with each other. All members of the herd are related to each other and old animals help the young ones take care of their offspring. Elephants are also very attached to their mother and enjoy universal care. There are no fights between elephants except during the mating season, when males engage in fierce fights for the possession of a female.

African elephants during a mating fight.

In other cases, elephants show mutual assistance: they immediately respond to the alarming cry of their fellow tribesman, unanimously come to his defense and even help their wounded brothers. Elephants communicate using low uterine sounds, and in case of danger they emit a loud trumpet roar. Elephants have an exceptional memory, they remember places of watering and feeding for many miles around, they recognize their fellow tribesmen after long separation. The high level of social connections in elephants is manifested in another phenomenon - elephants are able to recognize deceased brothers. When a herd of elephants comes across the skeleton of a dead animal, they stop and become silent. Sometimes elephants touch the skeleton with their trunk and feel it; apparently, elephants are able to identify the “personality” of a dead brother.

Elephants feed on plant foods - branches of trees and shrubs, leaves and fruits. An elephant eats up to 100 kg of food per day.

An African elephant breaks a tree to get to the foliage.

Elephants chew food with large molars, which change as they wear down. In search of food, they are helped by tusks - a pair of giant incisors protruding from the mouth. In African elephants, their size can reach 2-3 m; in the Indian elephant, tusks are shorter and only occur in males.

The male Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) has record tusks for its species. They had to be cut down because they stuck to the ground.

Elephants use their tusks as levers to uproot trees and also use them in battles for mates. African elephants use their tusks to strip the bark of baobab trees in search of juicy, loose wood. These animals also need to drink plenty of water and walk many kilometers to watering holes. By the way, elephants love to swim, pouring water on themselves from their trunk; they are excellent swimmers. A swimming elephant plunges headlong into the water, exposing only the tip of its trunk.

An Indian elephant swims underwater.

Although elephants prefer to move at a leisurely pace, they can run quickly, reaching speeds of up to 50 km/h.

Elephant mating is not confined to any specific season. IN mating season males secrete a dark secretion from the parotid gland, at this time they are very aggressive and dangerous to others. An elephant's pregnancy lasts 20-22 months. She gives birth to one calf weighing 90-100 kg.

The baby elephant sucks milk with its mouth, not its trunk.

Elephants' nipples are not located in the groin, as in all four-legged animals, but between the front legs, as in primates. A baby elephant needs care until it is 5 years old, but even as an adult it remains attached to its mother and other relatives (grandmother, aunts). Often, when moving, elephant calves hold onto their mother's tail with their trunk. Elephants become adults at the age of 12-15 years, and live up to 60-70 years.

It would seem that the largest animal cannot have natural enemies. Indeed, adult elephants are practically invulnerable, although they sometimes conflict with rhinoceroses for a place at a watering hole. However, little elephant calves are defenseless against attacks by lions and crocodiles. Only these predators dare to attack elephants.

An elephant wanders along the road, accompanied by his little friends - buffalo herons. These birds often accompany elephants in the hope of profiting from insects scared away by the giant.

The main enemy of elephants remains man. People hunt elephants mainly for their tusks, a source of precious ivory. But the meat, skin, and bones of elephants are also used on the farm. For example, roast trunk is considered a delicacy. Due to barbaric hunting, African elephants were on the verge of extinction in many places. Numerous reserves were created to protect them, but even after that the situation of the elephants did not improve. The multiplying elephants, limited to the territory of the reserve, began to suffer from a lack of food and had to be hunted down again. In some cases, relocating elephants from places where there are many of them to areas where there are none helps. But elephant conservation is hampered by smugglers and political conflicts in African countries. Indian elephants are not hunted for their tusks, but their situation is even worse. Since Indian elephants live in the most densely populated region of the world, they are simply deprived of their natural habitats by people. wild elephants They are caught for the purpose of domestication, but in captivity these animals almost do not reproduce. This is how the last individuals are removed from nature. Tame elephants are one of the most ancient domesticated animals. From time immemorial, they were used as draft power for plowing land, transporting people and goods, and for military purposes. Elephants can be trained to pick up and put down objects, attack on command, and simply perform various tricks. Unfortunately, the abilities of circus animals are developed using cruel methods. Domestic elephants are good-natured by nature and often suffer abuse from careless owners, but an elephant’s excellent memory can serve a person poorly. Remembering the grievances inflicted, elephants are prone to frustration (painful experiences and heightened emotions). Prolonged stress can lead to a nervous breakdown and then the elephant goes berserk. In this case, the animal completely goes out of control and attacks all living creatures within reach. In this case, only a bullet can stop the elephant. There are many cases of death of domestic elephants and people for this reason.

to the exemplary mutual assistance of elephants.

Elephants are the largest land mammals of our planet. Previously, their ancestors inhabited vast territories, but today, out of 40 known to science species of these animals on the planet you can find only representatives of 2 of them (in some classifications - 3 species, but more on that later). About where elephants live today, what are their species characteristics and little about some known facts from the biology of these giants will be discussed in this article.

Systematic position

Modern elephants are mammals from the order Proboscis, the elephant family (Elephantidae). This family today is represented by only two genera - Loxodonta and Elephas, each of which has one species: African and Indian (or Asian) elephants. True, there is debate about how many species of elephants live on the planet. Scientists have not yet come to a consensus.

In some sources, forest elephants in Africa are identified as a separate species. Next we will characterize all these species. Since forest and African elephants can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, this makes them a subspecies rather than a separate species of animal.

Modern giants

So, today on the planet you can find the following representatives of the proboscis family:

The savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest representative of the species. The record holder is an elephant shot in Angola in 1974. It weighed 10.4 tons. The average male weighs up to 7 tons, the female - 5 tons. The height at the withers is up to 3.8 meters, and the body length is up to 7.5 meters. Distinctive feature– massive tusks, which in males reach 2.5 meters. The body is light gray, the head has huge ears.
The forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) is relatively recently identified as a separate species. Height at withers – 2.4 meters. Gray skin with rather thick hair, compared to its “cousins” brown. Another distinctive feature is rounded ears.

These two species are representatives of the fauna African continent. Phylogenetically, these 2 elephants are thought to have diverged 2.5 billion years ago. Their differences are significant, but the main thing is where the elephant lives. Savannahs are the inhabitants of savannahs, while forest dwellers live in tropical jungles.

The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) is a representative of another evolutionary branch. The habitat where elephants of this species live in nature is fragmented and limited to the countries of the Indo-Malayan geographical region. Asian elephants less African. Their weight can reach 5.4 tons, height from 2.5 to 3.5 meters, and body length - 5.5 meters. Body color ranges from dark gray to brown. A distinctive feature is low-set and smaller ears and not so large tusks (up to 1.6 meters). Moreover, only males have them, and not all of them. In addition, elephants in India are forest dwellers.

There are differences - the essence is the same

African and Asian elephants, although different in external signs, lead, in general, the same lifestyle and remain the most major representatives land fauna. Regardless of where elephants live - in Africa or in Asia, they are amazingly smart and have virtually no natural enemies.

Elephants are social animals. They live in groups of 9-12 females with young, in which they remain family ties and the main thing in the hierarchy is the female. Males live in separate temporary groups or alone and are allowed to the female during the mating period (estrus).

At this time, male elephants in India and Africa engage in mating fights. And the winner is not for a long time joins the group. Interestingly, smaller Indian male elephants behave more aggressively during the rutting period than African males.

Famous Strangers

There is not a person who has not seen a live elephant. We know a lot about them, but they never cease to amaze people.

A big “ship” has a lot of food. The average elephant eats from 150 to 300 kilograms of plant food per day, while in nature they spend up to 20 hours a day eating. A daily norm water – 200 liters. Do you want a pet like this?

Elephants have poor vision. But a thunderstorm or rain can be felt at a distance of up to 10 kilometers. The five-ton animal can run at speeds of up to 50 km/h. They love to swim and bathe. But they sleep exclusively standing up.

Elephants are smart and have good memory. The intelligence of an animal is equal to the intelligence of primates, and he will literally remember the person who offended him by sight for the rest of his life. Elephants communicate through sounds and ultrasound, much like dolphins, but in this case the sound wave travels along the ground. And elephants perceive it with sensitive soles.

And just recently, scientists discovered genes in elephants that protect them from cancer. People also have such genes, but, unlike us, elephants are almost not susceptible to cancer. This is encouraging. How many more surprises will these amazing animals present to humanity?

The main enemy is man

These giants have practically no enemies in nature. Large predatory cats can attack the cubs, but such an undertaking is also very dangerous for them.

African elephants are at risk of extinction due to their tusks. Their Indian relatives live in the most densely populated part of the planet and are deprived of their natural place habitat.

In addition, elephants are favorite animals of zoos and circuses. But in captivity they practically do not reproduce. It is a great success if a baby elephant is born in a zoo. Indian and African elephants do not interbreed. And the only known hybrid elephant calf died in infancy (he was born in 1978 by accident in one of the zoos in England).

Also, roasted elephant trunk is considered a delicacy. But an elephant becomes sexually mature at the age of 25, and lives up to 80 years. The female carries the baby elephant for up to 21 months, then feeds it with milk for 2 years and does not mate. And it’s rare when two babies are born.

So how can you not worry about these giants, which, like ships, leisurely plow the vast expanses of the endless savannahs?

There are up to half a million African elephants in the world; Asian elephants are about 10 times smaller. As you know, elephants are large and very intelligent animals, which have served humans for peaceful and military purposes since ancient times.

Giants

Elephants are the most gigantic land animals on Earth. Average weight they reach five tons, and the body length is 6-7 meters. In 1956, an elephant weighing 11 tons was killed in Angola.

A female elephant carries a baby for 22 months, the newborn weighs 120 kilograms.

The brain of an elephant weighs 5 kilograms, the heart - 20-30 kilograms. It beats at a frequency of 30 beats per minute.

To feed such a “colossus”, an elephant has to look for food and eat most of the day, at least 20 hours. An elephant eats from 45 to 450 kilograms of plant food per day and drinks from 100 to 300 liters of water.

Elephants live 50-70 years. But there are also reporters. War elephant (served in the Chinese army) Lin Wang from Taiwan died in 2003 at the age of 86.

Smarties

Aristotle wrote: “The elephant is an animal that surpasses all others in wit and intelligence.” Elephants really have a lot good memory and developed intelligence. Elephants also turned out to be capable of learning human language.

An elephant named Kaushik, living in Asia, has learned to imitate human speech, or rather, five words: annyong (hello), anja (sit), aniya (no), nuo (lie down) and choah (good).

Kaushik not only mindlessly repeats them, but, according to observers, understands their meaning, since these are either commands that he carries out, or words of encouragement and disapproval.

Communication

Elephants usually communicate using infrasound, so for a long time the elephant language remained unsolved. Research by Christian Herbst of the University of Vienna on the larynx of a dead elephant showed that elephants use their vocal cords to communicate.

The “vocabulary” of the elephant language turned out to be quite rich - Herbst recorded about 470 different stable signals that elephants use.

They can use them to communicate with each other over long distances, warn of danger, report births, and use various addresses to members of the herd, depending on their position in the hierarchy.

Trunk

An elephant's trunk is actually an extension of its upper lip. With the help of their trunk, elephants make tactile contact, say hello, can take objects, draw, drink and wash themselves. The trunk of the trunk can simultaneously hold up to eight liters of water. The trunk also has more than 40,000 receptors. Elephants have a very good sense of smell.

Tusks

Elephants, like people, can be left-handed or right-handed. Depending on which tusk the elephant works more, one of them becomes smaller.

Over the past century and a half average length Elephant tusk production in both Africa and India has halved.

This is due to the fact that the most big representatives populations become victims of poachers, and the length of the tusks is a genetically inherited trait.

The tusks of deceased elephants are extremely rare to find. Because of this, for a long time there was an opinion that elephants go to die in mysterious elephant cemeteries. Only in the last century it was discovered that porcupines eat tusks, thus compensating for mineral hunger.

Taming the Elephants

Elephants, although intelligent animals, can also be dangerous. Male elephants periodically go through a state of so-called “must.” At this time, the level of testosterone in the blood of animals is 60 times higher than normal.

In order to achieve balance and obedience in elephants, they begin to be trained from early childhood.

One of the most effective methods like this: a baby elephant’s leg is tied to a tree trunk. Gradually he gets used to the fact that it is impossible to free himself from this state. When the animal grows up, it is enough to tie it to a young tree, and the elephant will not try to free itself.

Funeral rite

Elephants not only high level intellect, but also sensitive hearts. When someone from an elephant family dies, his relatives lift him up with their trunks, loudly turbulate him, and then roll him to a depression and cover him with branches and throw earth at him. Then the elephants sit silently next to the body for several more days.

There are also cases where elephants also try to bury people, sometimes mistaking sleeping people for dead.

Types of elephants

There are two species of elephant - the African elephant (genus: Loxodonta) and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). They are different, but there are still some striking differences. African elephants number approximately 500,000, while the number of Asian elephants is declining dramatically, with less than 30,000 remaining. Of these two species, African elephants are further divided into two species (savannah and forest), while Asian elephants are divided into four species (Sri Lankan, Indian, Sumartan and Borneo). Elephants, like people, are capable of change, and change depending on their character, emotions and personal qualities (individual characteristics). Asian elephants have been very important to Asian culture for thousands of years - they have been domesticated and are now used as vehicle in difficult terrain, for carrying heavy objects such as logs, and at festivals and the circus. Currently, the Indian elephant is the largest, with longer front legs and a thinner body than its Thai counterparts. We will dwell in more detail on Thai elephants, although of course these characteristics apply to all types of Asian Elephants. Let's pay attention to some small details. Using our own experience and taking into account information from numerous other sources, we will tell you our own interpretation.

Asian elephants

They are officially considered an endangered species; in Thailand their numbers reach only 3,000-4,000. About half of them are domesticated, the rest live in wildlife in National parks and reserves. Around 300 are suffering in Bangkok's deplorable conditions. It is known that at the beginning of the 20th century (1900 AD) more than 100,000 elephants lived in Siam (Thai) rural areas. Asian elephants are smaller than African ones. They have smaller ears, and only males have tusks.

The first species is the Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus). They live on the island of Sri Lanka. Large male can reach 5,400 kg (12,000 lb) and be over 3.4 m (11 ft) tall. Sri Lankan males have very convex skulls. Their head, trunk and belly are usually bright pink.

Another species, the Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) makes up the majority of the Asian elephant population. There are about 36,000 of them, they are light gray, with depigmentation only on the ears and trunk. A large male averages only 5,000 kg (11,000 lb), but they are still as tall as the Sri Lankan. Indian elephants are found in eleven Asian countries, from India to Indonesia. They prefer forests and areas between forests and fields where a greater variety of food is available to them.

The smallest group of elephants is the Sumartan elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus). There are only 2100 - 3000 individuals. They are a very light gray color with pink only on the ears. A mature Sumartan elephant reaches only 1.7-2.6 m (5.6-8.5 ft) in height and weighs less than 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Although it is, of course, a huge animal in any case, the Sumartan elephant is nevertheless much smaller than any other Asian (and African) and exists only on the island of Sumatra, usually in forests and groves.

In 2003, another species of elephant was discovered on the island of Borneo. They were called Borneo Dwarf Elephants, they are smaller and calmer, more obedient than others Asian elephants. They have relatively large ears, more long tail and straighter fangs.

African elephants

Elephants of the genus Loxodonta, known as African elephants, are currently found in 37 countries in Africa. The African elephant is the largest living land animal. It is characterized by a massive heavy body, big head on a short neck, thick limbs, huge ears and a long muscular trunk. The most striking difference from Asian ones is the ears. Africans have them much larger and are shaped like the continent of their origin. Both male and female African elephants have tusks and are generally less hairy than their Asian counterparts. Tusks grow throughout an elephant's life and serve as an indicator of its age. Historically, African elephants have been observed throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, the area where elephants live has been greatly reduced. The African elephant has become completely extinct in Burundi, Gambia and Mauritania; some species have survived further north, in Mali. Despite their wide distribution area, elephants are mainly concentrated in national parks and reserves. Traditionally, there are two species of African elephants, namely the Savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana africana) and the Forest elephant (Loxodonta africana cyclotis).

The African savannah elephant is the largest of all elephants. In fact, it is the largest animal on Earth in the world, reaching 4 m (13 ft) in height and weighing approximately 7,000 kg (7.7 tons). The average male is about 3 m (10 ft) tall and 5500-6000 kg (6.1-6.6 tons) in weight, the female is much smaller. Most often Savannah elephants found in open fields, swamps, and lake shores. They mainly live in the savannah and migrate south from the Sahara Desert.

Compared to the Savannah Elephant, the ears of the African Forest Elephant are usually smaller and more rounded, and the tusks are thinner and straighter. The forest elephant weighs up to 4,500 kg (10,000 lb) and reaches a height of 3 m (10 ft). Much less is known about these animals than about their savannah counterparts - emerging political differences and the habitat conditions of African forest elephants prevent their study. Usually, they inhabit impenetrable tropical forests central and western Africa. The largest populations of Forest Elephants are currently found in Southern and Eastern Africa.