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African Elephant
Loxodonta africana
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HABITAT
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Grasslands,
deserts, savannas and dense forests of Africa |
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DIET
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Herbivore:
consumes over 100 lbs of grass, fruit, tree bark, tree branches and other
plant material each day. |
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LIFE SPAN
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40
to 60 years |
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OTHER FACTS
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The African
elephant is the largest living land mammal in the world. It can reach a
height of over 11 feet and weigh up to 14,000 lbs.
Elephants
live in tightly organized herds led by a matriarch, usually an older female,
her female relatives and offspring. The gestation period for
a female elephant is 21 to 22 months and a newborn elephant calf can weigh
up to 250 lbs.
There are
40,000 muscles and tendons in an elephant's trunk and they have the
largest brain of any mammal, weighing about 12 lbs. The human brain
weighs about 3 lbs.
The biggest
threats to the African elephant are poaching for its ivory tusks and habitat
destruction. |
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