The largest land animal on Earth
African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. They are slightly
larger than their Asian cousins and can be identified by their larger
ears. (Asian elephants have smaller, rounded ears.) Although they were
long grouped together as one species, scientists have determined that
there are actually two species of African elephants—and that both are at
risk of extinction. Savanna elephants are larger animals that roam the
plains of sub-Saharan Africa, while forest elephants are smaller animals
that live in the forests of Central and West Africa.
