Beginner — A Guide On Elephants, The Largest Land Animals On Earth

An African elephant walking around in the wild.

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Elephants are very big. African elephants can be 13 feet tall and 14,000 pounds. Asian elephants are smaller. They can get up to 12 feet and 12,000 pounds. Their size is what makes them so special. Elephants are also very kind and emotional. In this article, we will learn more about elephants.

What Are Elephants?

Elephants are the largest animals that live on land. They have four legs and a long nose called a trunk. The trunk is very useful. It helps elephants drink water, pick up things, make sounds, and talk to other elephants. Elephants also have big ears. It helps them hear things. It also helps them cool down by acting like a little fan. Elephants have two long teeth called tusks. Tusks are important to elephants because they help them fight. Some elephants have big tusks, and some have small tusks.

Where Do Elephants Live?

There are two types of elephants. Asian elephants live in Asian countries like India. African elephants live in African countries like Kenya. Elephants like to live in warm places. This includes forests, grasslands, jungles, and near rivers. Elephants need a lot of water to drink and to play in. They even like to splash water with their trunks!

Some elephants life in zoos. In zoos, they don’t have to search for food. People called zookeepers take care of them. Zoos give elephants a lot of space to walk and play. But when in the wild, elephants have much more space to move around in.

What Do Elephants Eat?

Elephants don’t eat meat. They only eat plants. The love to munch on grass, leaves, and fruit. An elephant eats a lot of food every day to stay strong and healthy. Elephants use their trunks to pull leaves from trees. They also eat bananas, apples, and other fruits when they can find them.

In zoos, elephants get more options. Zookeepers give them hay, vegetables, and special food made just for elephants. Elephants need to drink a lot of water too. They use their trunks like a straw to drink.

Why Are Elephants So Special?

There are many reasons for why elephants are so special. First, they are very smart. They can remember things for a long time. In fact, many people say elephants never forget! They know their families, friends, and even humans that they see regularly. Elephants live in groups called herds. A herd is a big family of elephants. The oldest elephant in the herd is the leader.

Elephants are not just big and smart. They are also gentle and kind to each other. They take care of both baby elephants and older elephants that have lost their strength. Elephants talk to each other by making sounds and using their trunks.

Lastly, elephants help nature. They eat plants and tidy up the forest in a way. They make paths through the trees as well. Other animals use these paths to go to places. Elephants also dig holes to find water. This helps other animals easily find water to drink.

How Long Do Elephants Live?

Elephants can live for as long as humans. In the wild, African elephants live for 50 to 70 years. Asian elephants live for 40 to 60 years. Some elephants that live in zoos can live for over 80 years! The oldest elephant to ever live is Lin Wang. He is an Asian elephant. He lived from 1917 to 2003, reaching 86 years old. He lived in Taipei Zoo in Taiwan. He is famous for his long life. Some people claim the Indian elephant Vatsala is the oldest. But it is unknown when exactly this elephant was born.

How to Help Elephants

Elephants need our help. Every day, people around the world are taking their homes away by cutting trees. We can help by first learning more about elephants. We can also visit zoos that take good care of elephants by supporting them.

There are many charities that want to help elephants. We can tell friends and family about these charities and give them money. They can use this money to save elephants and their homes. Elephants are wonderful animals. They are big, smart, and kind. We need to make sure that they are happy and can live for generations to come!