# Loxodonta cyclotis The African Forest Elephant is a gentle giant that lives in the forests of Africa. They have big ears and long tusks, and they love to eat leaves and fruits from trees. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Forest Elephant ![Loxodonta cyclotis](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Loxodontacyclotis.jpg&width=800) Photo: Thomas Breuer, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Loxodontacyclotis.jpg) ## Appearance The Loxodonta cyclotis is the smallest of the African elephants, with a dark grey hide and pinkish underparts. It has notably rounder ears and straighter, downward-pointing tusks that are often reddish-brown from forest minerals, which helps distinguish it from its savanna relatives. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Proboscidea - **Family:** Elephantidae - **Genus:** Loxodonta ## Interesting facts - A forest elephant's stomach can hold as much as 100 liters of water! - Forest elephants help keep the rainforest healthy by spreading seeds far and wide. - Their ivory tusks are so dense they are sometimes called 'diamond ivory'! - They are considered the 'gardeners' of the Congo Basin rainforest. ## Special abilities - **Forest Engineer:** Loxodonta cyclotis can create vital paths through dense vegetation that other animals use, because of its large size and strength. - **Subterranean Seeker:** Loxodonta cyclotis can dig deep into the earth for water and mineral salts because of its strong tusks, vital in dry seasons. - **Sound Navigator:** Loxodonta cyclotis can communicate over long distances using low-frequency rumbling sounds that help them stay connected in thick forests. - **Delicate Gripper:** Loxodonta cyclotis has a prehensile trunk with two finger-like tips that helps them pick up tiny seeds and berries with precision. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 160-280 cm - **Weight:** 1700-4000 kg - **Lifespan:** 60-70 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 660 days ## Diet & Feeding This herbivore munches on a variety of plants, especially ripe fruits, leaves, and bark. - **Primary Foods:** Fruits, Leaves, Bark, Roots, Grasses - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Marula tree (*Sclerocarya birrea*) — eats its fruits, dispersing seeds - **Depends on:** [African Buffalo](https://www.snappit.app/explore/african-buffalo) (*Syncerus caffer*) — uses elephant-created clearings and paths - **Depends on:** [Western Gorilla](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-gorilla) (*Gorilla gorilla*) — travels along paths cleared by elephants - **Eaten by:** [Leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard) (*Panthera pardus*) — occasionally preys on elephant calves ## Traits - [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. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Always admire elephants from a safe distance and never approach them in the wild. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Loxodonta cyclotis? 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 Loxodonta cyclotis? 160-280 cm ### How much does Loxodonta cyclotis weigh? 1700-4000 kg ### How long does Loxodonta cyclotis live? 60-70 years ### How fast can Loxodonta cyclotis move? 40 km/h ### What does Loxodonta cyclotis eat? This herbivore munches on a variety of plants, especially ripe fruits, leaves, and bark. ### Where is Loxodonta cyclotis usually found? Forests ### How does Loxodonta cyclotis hunt? Foraging ## 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: [Loxodonta cyclotis: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/loxodonta-cyclotis)