Elephants are the great mammals of familia Elephantidae dan ordo Proboscidea.
Traditionally, there are two recognized species, namely African elephant (Loxodonta africana) and elephant asia (Elephas maximus), though some evidence suggests that African elephant bushes and african forest elephants represent different species.
Elephants are spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Elephantidae is the only familia of the still other Proboscidea order; Other families that are now extinct include mammoths and mastodons.
Male african elephant is the largest land animal with a height that can reach 4 m (13 ft) and a mass of approximately 7,000 kg (15,000 lb).
Elephants have special features, with the most striking is the proboscis or proboscis used for many things,especially for breathing, sucking water, and picking up things.
His fangs grow into canines that can be used as weapons and tools to move objects or dig.
large ears help regulate their body temperature.
African elephants have larger ears and arched backs, while Asian elephant ears are smaller and their backs are convex.
Elephants are herbivorous animals that can be found in a variety of habitats, such as savannas, forests, deserts, and swamps. They tend to be near the water.
Elephants are considered a key species because of their impact on the environment.
Other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants, and predators like lions, tigers. hyenas, and stray dogs usually only attack young elephants.
Female elephants tend to live in family groups, consisting of one female with her children or some females that are associated with their children.
The group is led by an elephant individual called the matriarch, who is usually the oldest female elephant.
Elephants have a fusion-group structure, ie when family groups meet to socialize.
Male elephants leave their families when they reach puberty, and will live alone or with another male elephant.
Adult elephants usually interact with family groups while looking for a partner and enter a stage of increased testosterone and aggression called musth, which helps them achieve dominance and reproductive success.
Elephant children are the focus of family groups and rely on their mothers for about three years.
Elephants can live for 70 years in the wild. They communicate by touch, sight, smell, and sound; elephants use infrasuara and seismic communications for long distance.
The elephant's intelligence has been compared with superior intelligence and cetaceans. They seem to have self-awareness and show empathy to another elephant that is almost tired and dead.
African elephants are classified as vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), while Asian elephants are classified as endangered species. One of the main threats to elephants is the ivory trade that triggers poaching.
Another threat is the destruction of habitat and conflict with local people. Elephants are used as working animals in Asia. They used to be used for war; now, elephants are often shown in zoos and circuses. Elephants can be depicted in art, folklore, religion, literature, and popular culture.