Elephants
The worlds gentle giants!
Elephants are the largest living land animals. There are three kinds currently recognized, the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant.
What's the Difference between the different kinds of Elephants?
The African savanna elephant is the largest elephant species, while the Asian forest elephant and the African forest elephant are of a comparable, smaller size. Also, Asian elephants' ears are smaller compared to the large fan-shaped ears of the African species. Lastly, only some male Asian elephants have tusks, while both male and female African elephants grow tusks.
The importance of Elephant's Tusks
Elephants use their trunks to pick up objects, trumpet warnings, greet other elephants, or suck up water for drinking or bathing, among other uses. Both male and female African elephants grow tusks and each individual can either be left- or right-tusked, and the one they use more is usually smaller because of wear and tear. Elephant tusks serve many purposes. These extended teeth can be used to protect the elephant's trunk, lift and move objects, gather food, and strip bark from trees. They can also be used for defense. During times of drought, elephants even use their tusks to dig holes to find water underground. Their tusks are made of pure ivory which is a very profitable commodity, which is why they are constantly at risk from proachers in the wild.
You can help save the elephants in the wild by adopting one of these gentle giants.