`Scientific Name: Loxodonta africana
Common Name: Elephant
Description:
Difference in Sex: Females are smaller than males and have thinner and smaller tusk.
Average Weight of Adult male: 5500 to 6000 kg
Habitat: Savannah and woodlands near water. There are also elephants in more arid regions like Damara and Kaokoland in Namibia (centre photo).
Habits: Moves in herds
Main feeding time: day and night, sleep only a few hours at night standing.
Size: Shoulder height 3 m
Gestation: 22 months
Number of young at birth: Single calf
Communication: A whole range of sub-sonic vocalizations, stomach rumbles and trumpets
Age: 65 to 80 years
Diet: Graze and browse most vegetation, can be very destructive to trees sometimes.
Enemies: Grown elephants only enemy are poachers, small baby elephants may be taken be Lion if they can get the baby away from the mother but this very seldom happen.
Interesting facts: Although elephants are very gentle creatures, be careful, they can be fatally dangerous when disturbed, or when there are babies in a group. In breeding season, the bulls become very aggressive and a safe distance should be kept at all times.
Credits: Christian Fourie (photograph + info)