Studying the Unique Features of Elephants for World Elephant Day

• Elephants are distinguished by their form, tusk size, and the number of toes on their feet.
• The African savanna elephant is the largest land mammal.
• Elephants have a long memory for survival in the wild.

September 12 — World Elephant Day. Here are five facts about the largest land mammals on our planet.

Recognize Them by Their Tusks

There are three species of elephants: the African savanna or bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. The African savanna elephant and the Asian elephant are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. The forest elephant is critically endangered.

It is easy to distinguish between species by their tusk size. African elephants have larger tusks, which resemble the contours of Africa. They also have two finger-like projections at the tips of their trunks, while Asian elephants have one.

The Largest of the Largest

The African savanna elephant is the largest of the three species and the largest land mammal on Earth. Adult males weigh about 5,000–6,000 kilograms. Savanna elephants already weigh about 120 kilograms at birth, which exceeds the average weight of a newborn human.

Habitat with Thousands of Trees

In the habitat of the elephant, there are nearly 150,000 trees. This makes it their "neighborhood instrument," along with the information provided by elephant expert Shona Hensman. Since the habitats have a canopy, elephants can bend them in different directions and change their length. They use their trunks for drinking water and selecting food.

It's Hard to Stay Still

Elephants cannot stay still due to their large size. For reproduction, they need to ensure that at least three females are on the ground at the same time. However, they can stand on their hind legs to reach food that grows high on trees.

Do Elephants Never Forget?

One of the popular beliefs is that elephants have a wonderful memory. This is true. They have a large brain that responds to memory. Elephants need a good memory to remember the locations of food and water for survival in harsh conditions.