The Amazing African Elephant -by Grace Yang

The African elephant is the largest land animal on earth. They are known for their long trunks and their ears that are shaped similar to the continent of Africa.

Firstly, the trunk is a very important part of the elephant. The trunk contains 100,000 different muscles total! Its jobs are smelling, breathing, trumpeting, and drinking. It is somewhat similar to a human nose. The African elephant likes to be in water and is fond of showering. They spray water on themselves with their trunk. One special fact is that they spray a layer of dust or dirt to protect their skin.

            The African elephant ranges from nine to thirteen feet high, and weigh 8,800 to 15,400 lbs! Their main predators are humans. Poachers hunt for their ivory tusks, and to get to it, the elephants must be killed. Usually, the elephant is left there and will bleed to death. People carve the tusks to make mini sculptures or trinkets to sell.

            You might be wondering, why does the elephant weigh so much? Well, that is because they eat up to 400 pounds of food each day. Some foods they eat are roots, grass, fruits, and bark. Obviously, they are herbivores. Sometimes, females are pregnant with young calves. Elephants have a longer pregnancy that any other animal : 22 months! Usually, one female will give birth to one calf every two to four years. At birth, elephants already weigh around 200 pounds. Imagine that! Eating 400 pounds a day, and being 200 extra pounds heavy is really heavy! That is probably heavier that a school bus.

           African elephants all live in the dense forests and plains. However, males tend to roam on their own while females stay in herds. African elephants have unique characteristics and adapt to the warmest places in the world. African elephants are amazing animals, and they definitely deserve to be treated with care and kindness. 

Works Cited:

"African Elephants." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2015.
"Basic Facts About Elephants." Defenders of Wildlife. N.p., 18 Mar. 2012. Web. 09 Mar. 2015.