African+Elephant

//**Phylum:** Chordata //  //**Scientific Name:** Loxodonta Africana // //**Class:** Mammalia //

//** Location: ** Africa, near the savanna or the forest. // //** Size: ** Savanna elephants are around 25 feet long, // //11 feet tall, and weigh up to 14,000 pounds. The forest // //elephants are smaller and different sized tusks. // //** ﻿Habitat: ** Savanna elephants live in the savanna and grassy plains ﻿ of east and south Africa. The forest elephants live in forested areas of central and western Africa. Near clean water and pleny of vegetation. // //**Living Requirement:** They are herbivores. During the rain the usually eat grases and herbs. Other times they eat mostly around streams, eating leaves, fruit, and vark from different types of trees. //Elephants live in complex society usually with around 8 - 15 relatives, but when danger comes their kin forms into a group of 200 or more.
 * Life Cycle: ** //An elephants gestation period is 22 months. When a baby elephant is born it weighs 175-200 lbs. Elephants nurse until they are 4-5 years old. They depend on their mother until 8-10 years old. Their most physical growth is around 20 years old and their top mental ability is between 30-45 years old. Elephants live til they're 65-70 years old, they usually die from their teeth falling out.//
 * Male and Female Differences: ** //Males have a rounded head and females have a square shaped head. Females and males have seperate groups. The males leave their family group around 16 and become part of a bachelor group. The males usually only visit the females when they are ready to mate. There are family groups that consist of the dad, mom, and their young.//
 * 2-3 Interesting Facts: **
 * 1) //The only mammal that has a life span comparable to humans.//
 * 2) //Forest elephants have downward pointing tusks and Savanna elephants tusks are more rounded.//
 * 3) //Elephants sometimes use their trunks for snorkles, so they can walk in deep water while being able to breath.[[image:african-elephant_435_600x450.jpg width="336" height="197" align="right"]]//
 * Human Impact: **
 * // Elephants are used in circus shows. They are tormented and hurt with chains, roped, and even electricuted. //
 * // They are also hunted and killed for their tusks, because elephant tusk is very valueble. //
 * // Humans are taking over more of the elephants habitat, elephants need a lot of room. //
 * // Some good news is, is that people have made protected areas and national parks for elephants to live safely. //


 * Resources: []**
 * []**
 * []**
 * Zookeeper:** Hannah Williams