Basic Description Of African Elephant
The male elephant is usually larger then the female. On average they grow to weight 5.5-7 tons. There usually 19-24 feet from head to tail, and have large, fan-shaped ears. Both the female and male have two ivory tusks that are attached to their face for protection from other invaders.
The Habitat
Most African Elephants have a range of 500 miles in which they call home. Many years ago they were mostly found at the Sahara desert in Africa. Now that they are classified as endangered many are kept at parks and preserves.
The Diet
African elephants can eat anywhere from 100 to 1000 pounds of vegitation per day. Although there digestive system only digest about 40% of what they eat. The African Elephant eats most anything that is green. On and average day and elephant drinks about 30-50 gallons of water.
Clans & Life Cycle
Most African Elephants live in groups or clans of 8-15 elephants. They travel together everywhere they go and communicate a lot. Sometimes especially in dangerous situations elephants travel in clans numbering 200 elephants. These large groups are called "kin groups." When a elephant is born it usually weight's 175 to 250 pounds. A baby cow is very dependant on their mother for their first 8-10 years. Most of their growth is reached by the time they turn 20 and there top physical ability when their around 30 to 45 years old. Most African Elephants die between the ages of 65-70, when there last set of teeth fall out.
Prevent the African Elephant from becoming Extinct
In 1989, the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species, banned international ivory trade and the slaughtering of elephants. The U.S stongly supports the ban and continues to save elephants.
What you can do! Send and e-mail to the US delegation urging them to oppose the slaughtering of elephants and to ban the trading of elephants. You e-mail could help save the lives of these elephants.
For more in-depth detail go to: African Savannah
