| Elephants - largest land animal living at | | | | protruding incisor teeth and have the |
| present and the downward stream of giant | | | | recorded length of 10 feet. These are used by |
| mammals, which include the mammoths are | | | | the elephant as the instruments to dig ground |
| another endangered species on earth. They are | | | | in search of water, salt and roots, to take |
| existent on this earth for millions of | | | | the bark of trees away, to eat the bark, to |
| years,. Adults sometimes weigh about six | | | | move trees and branches to clear the path; |
| tons. | | | | and also as a weapon against adversities. |
| | | | Humans use this trunk as a decorative arts, |
| Two species of the elephants are found: one | | | | game pieces and musical instruments. The |
| is the larger and plentiful African Elephants | | | | large ears with flaps of the elephants are |
| and the other is the smaller and fewer Asian | | | | used to keep the body surface cool in hot |
| Elephants or the Indian Elephants. The number | | | | days. |
| of the African elephants has rapidly | | | | |
| decreased due to ivory trade, which is used | | | | Elephants are vegetarian in food habit. |
| for jewelry, carvings, etc. Less than 50,000 | | | | Grass, bamboo, twig, bark, roots, fruits, |
| Asian elephants are there in the world. | | | | seeds and flowers are among the food list of |
| | | | an elephant. An adult elephant eat 300-600 |
| Elephants presently found on earth are the | | | | pound of food in a day. But 60% of the eaten |
| descendants of the "trunked" family of | | | | food comes out of the body of the elephant |
| mammals. Elephants help light-dependant | | | | undigested. Among the land animals the |
| plants grow and survive by creating roadways, | | | | elephants have the longest gestation period |
| elephant dung acts as the fertilizer for many | | | | of 22 months. |
| plants in the forest, and other wild animals | | | | |
| find water in the wells dug by the elephants | | | | Life and existence of this ancient animal is |
| in search of water. African elephants are | | | | endangered due to loss of habitation, killing |
| found in the sub-Saharan Africa in about 37 | | | | of the animal for ivory and meat, especially |
| countries. They normally inhabit in the dense | | | | in the Central Africa. Like the gorillas, |
| African rainforests of Central and Western | | | | elephants are also killed for bush meat |
| Africa. The Asian elephants are found in the | | | | trade. Elephants are being slaughtered for |
| large parts of India, Sri Lanka, Indo-china | | | | their ivory tusks, commercial trade of which |
| territory and Indonesia. The trunk of the | | | | is internationally banned. Japan is the main |
| elephant is the boneless elongation of the | | | | consumer of ivory. To help this species live |
| upper lip and nose, which is powerful enough | | | | without the risk of being killed for illegal |
| to tear a tree as well as pick up hundreds of | | | | trade we should avoid ivory and other |
| pounds. There are about forty thousand | | | | elephant products, rather we should use |
| muscles in it. It can draw about 50 gallons | | | | various stones, plastic and gems like jade in |
| of water into the trunk everyday. | | | | place of ivory. |
| | | | |
| Tusks are found in both the male and the | | | | We should try to create awareness among our |
| female African elephants, while in the Asian | | | | near ones against killing of the entire |
| elephants it is found in the males only. The | | | | animal for the tusks and explain how buying |
| elephant's trunk is long and it is the most | | | | products of the tusks help killing of the |
| important part of the elephant's body. | | | | elephants. We should stretch our hands to |
| African elephants have two fingerlike | | | | help those who are working for the protection |
| projections at the tip of the trunk, while | | | | and conservation of elephants through raising |
| the Asian elephants have only one such | | | | funds to support them and creating general |
| projection. | | | | awareness that ivory and other elephant |
| | | | products are internationally banned; and |
| The trunk of the elephant is very strong and | | | | hence buyers of these products are likely to |
| it is very much sensitive also. The tusks, | | | | be fined. |
| known as the ivory tusks, are the enlarged | | | | |