Elephants

Habitat
There are elephants that live in Africa and elephants that live in Asia. African elephants are bigger than Asian elephants and have larger ears. Asian elephants have smaller ears because they live in forests, and big ears would get torn in the branches. In Africa there are elephants that live on the savannah, or grasslands, and elephants that live in the tropical forests. The ones that live in the tropical forests are a bit smaller than the grasslands elephants, with straighter and thinner tusks. Their ears are more rounded and their skulls have a different shape.

Elephants flap their ears to keep themselves cool.

All elephants have trunks, which they use to help them pick up food, suck up water and give themselves dust baths.

Feeding
Some elephants have tusks, which are big front teeth. The tusks help the elephant pick up food and help the animal protect itself. The bottom teeth are inside the elephant's mouth and are used to chew food.

Elephants eat large amounts of leaves, grass, fruit and bark. They drink lots of water each day.

Elephants have very big legs and round feet. They have short tails.

Life cycle
Elephants live in large groups called herds. A female elephant is called a cow, the male is a bull and a baby elephant is called a calf. A female elephant gives birth to a calf about 22 months after mating. A calf drinks milk from its mother until it is about two years old. All the adults in the group help look after and teach the young elephants.

Go here to read some amazing facts about elephants
http://elephant.elehost.com/About_Elephants/about_elephants.htm

Go here to see photos and to read about elephants
http://fohn.net/elephant-pictures-facts/

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updated October 2007