ELEPHANTS

Elephants:
There are two main species of elephants.

1. African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) :
The african elephant is classified as a member of the order Proboscidea (Elephants) and is a member of the family Elephantidae. The male stands up to ten feet high to its shoulder, and weighs up to six tons. The female is slightly smaller, and weighs up to four tons. It is classified as an endangered species due to a reduction of at least 50% of the african elephant population over the last three generations based on an index of abundance. Hunting of the african elephant is now banned in several countries, but poaching for ivory still exists.

2. Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) :
The asian elephant is classified as a member of the order Proboscidea (Elephants) and is a member of the family Elephantidae. It stands up to ten feet high and twenty feet long. It weighs up to 10,000 pounds. The asian elephant is classified as an endangered species due to a reduction of at least 50% of the asian elephant population over the last three generations based on an index of abundance and a decline in area of occupancy. The Asian elephant has four subspecies: the Indian, Ceylon, Sumatran, and Malaysian elephants

Elephants are the largest living land animals, with adults sometimes weighing six tons or more. Of the two species, the African elephant is larger and more plentiful than the Asian elephant. But both are threatened by shrinking living space and poaching for the ivory trade.
Modern elephants are the last survivors of the old and varied "trunked" family of mammals that once ranged the entire planet. These heirs of such mighty creatures as the extinct mastodon and mammoth and occupy a unique place in their habitat in Africa and Asia. As huge and powerful consumers, elephants are considered to be a keystone species in their environment, affecting biodiversity in the regions they inhabit. They open up areas of forest where light-dependent plants can take hold, for example, creating habitat for grazing animals. Such elephant roadways also act as fire breaks or drainage conduits and are littered with partially digested, ready-to-germinate seeds conveniently fertilized in elephant dung. The wells elephants dig in search of water are used by virtually all other wildlife in a given region, particularly during periods of drought. On the other hand, elephant activity can also be seen as destructive, particularly under the pressures of human landscape transformation that force the animals into smaller areas. As habitat shrinks, their voracious appetite can bring them more frequently into conflict with people.

WWF is working in Asia and Africa to protect this magnificent and vital animal and to preserve its shrinking habitat.