African Elephant

African Elephant is the largest living terrestrial animal with shoulder height reaching four meters and body weight up to 7.5 tons. Besides the larger size, the features distinguishing African Elephants from the Asian species are significantly larger earlobes, two finger-like protrusions at the end of the trunk instead of one and tusks present in both sexes.

African Elephants live in family units, groups formed by closely related females and their offspring. Young males are leaving those when they reach puberty, while females may stay for whole life. Animals from more family units could group together and form larger herds, for example while migrating in search of food.

Reproduction of African Elephants is extremely slow, after 22 months of gestation only one calf is born, who is at the time of the birth approximately 90 kilograms heavy and 1 m tall.

African Elephants are poached for ivory.