Endangered Species - Elephants

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