Scientific name : Loxodonta africana
Family : Elephantidae
Native to : Eastern, Southern and West Africa
Interesting fact : The elephant’s trunk has more than a 1,00,000 muscles.
Conservation status : Vulnerable
The African elephant is of two types–the bush elephant and the forest elephant, the former being the largest terrestrial animal. The elephant has four molars and each weighs roughly 5 kg/11 lb. They have 2000 genes related to smell, required to sniff out danger. Gestation period is for almost two years; calves are nurtured by their mothers and allomothers.
