Elephant.

Elephant. Class Mammalia Order Proboscidea Family Elephantidae Genus/Species Elephas maximus (Asian) Loxodonta africana (African) Loxodonta cyclotis (African) Names male: bull female: cow young: calf group: herd Conservation Endangered due to illegal hunting and habitat destruction. Concerns Range Asian elephants inhabit small areas of India, Sri Lanka, China, and Southeast Asia. African elephants are found in Africa south of the Sahara. Habitat Forests, savannas, river valleys, and marshes. Size Asian elephants weigh up to 5000 kg (11,000 lb) and stand about 3 m (10 ft) tall. African elephants weigh up to 7000 kg (15,400 lb) and stand up to 4 m (13 ft) tall. Females are typically smaller than males. Feeding Habits Elephants are herbivores; they eat grasses, bark, roots, leaves, and fruit. They consume from 200 to 300 kg (440 to 660 lb) of food, and up to 150 liters (40 gallons) of water daily. Offspring Female elephants usually give birth to one calf after a gestation period of 20 to 22 months. Life Span About 60 years. Did You Know The two fingerlike projections at the tip of the elephant's trunk are facile enough to pick a blade of grass. Although an elephant's skin is 2-4 cm (0.8-1.6 in) thick, it is very sensitive. Elephants communicate in frequencies below human perception. Tusks are actually an elephant's second set of upper incisor teeth, and continue to grow throughout the elephant's life. An elephant's ears help it stay cool; as it flaps its ears, heat dissipates through abundant blood vessels. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.