# African Elephant (*Loxodonta africana*) The African elephant is the largest land animal on Earth! They are known for their big ears and long trunks, which they use to eat, drink, and play. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Habitat:** Grasslands and savannas - **Also known as:** African Bush Elephant, African Forest Elephant, Bush Elephant, Elephant, Savanna Elephant ![African Elephant](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424702/objects/4507.jpg) ## Appearance The African Elephant is the largest land animal, with wrinkled grey skin and enormous, fan-shaped ears often compared to the continent of Africa. They have a long, powerful trunk and curved ivory tusks, distinguishing them from their smaller-eared Asian cousins. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Proboscidea - **Family:** Elephantidae - **Genus:** Loxodonta ## Interesting facts - An elephant can hear water from up to 12 miles away using their trunk and feet! - Baby elephants often suck their trunks for comfort, just like human babies use pacifiers! - Elephants create their own sunscreen by spraying themselves with dust and mud! - Their tusks are actually elongated incisor teeth that never stop growing! ## Special abilities - **Built-in Radiators:** African Elephants have huge ears filled with blood vessels that help them cool down their massive bodies in hot climates. - **Giant Memory Bank:** African Elephants have incredible long-term memory, allowing them to remember water sources and migration routes for decades. - **Seismic Sensors:** African Elephants can detect vibrations through their feet from distant elephant calls or even approaching storms. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 550-750 cm - **Weight:** 2200-6000 kg - **Lifespan:** 60-70 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 640-680 days ## Diet & Feeding These gentle giants munch on plants, using their trunks to grab leaves, grasses, and bark! - **Primary Foods:** Grasses, Leaves, Bark, Roots, Fruits, Flowers - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Umbrella Thorn Acacia (*Acacia tortilis*) — Elephants browse its leaves and pods. - **Eaten by:** [Baobab](https://www.snappit.app/explore/baobab) (*Adansonia digitata*) — Elephants strip bark and eat fruit, dispersing seeds. - **Hunts:** Lion (*Panthera leo*) — Occasionally hunts young or vulnerable elephant calves. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Tusked](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tusked): Characterized by having long, pointed, projecting teeth, usually in pairs. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/savanna): This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Protected](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/protected): Protected status signifies a species or area is safeguarded by legal measures and conservation efforts to prevent harm or loss. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Always admire elephants from a safe distance. They are gentle giants, but they can be very big and strong. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify African Elephant? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is African Elephant? 550-750 cm ### How much does African Elephant weigh? 2200-6000 kg ### How long does African Elephant live? 60-70 years ### How fast can African Elephant move? 40 km/h ### What does African Elephant eat? These gentle giants munch on plants, using their trunks to grab leaves, grasses, and bark! ### Where is African Elephant usually found? Grasslands and savannas ### How does African Elephant hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Birmingham Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/birmingham-zoo) — Alabama, US · Zoo - [Cameron Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cameron-park-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Colchester Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colchester-zoo) — England, GB · Zoo - [Memphis Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/memphis-zoo) — Tennessee, US · Zoo - [Milwaukee County Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/milwaukee-county-zoo) — Wisconsin, US · Zoo - [Roger Williams Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/roger-williams-park-zoo) — Rhode Island, US · Zoo [View all places to see African Elephant](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/african-elephant) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [African Elephant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/african-elephant)