Elephants are large herbivorous mammals descended from mammoths. African elephants are the largest species, able to reach 3 meters tall and weigh up to 7 tons. They live in herds led by the oldest female, called the matriarch. Elephants use their trunks to grasp things and feed, their tusks are made of ivory, and they need large amounts of food and water daily.

1. Elephant
Facts:
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Elephants are distant descendents of mam-
moths.
Indian elephants are smaller than African elephants.
African elephants can reach a height of 3 meters
and weigh up to 7 tons (as much a small school bus).
Did you know?
200 kg of food
Big elephants need approximately
African elephants
and 150 l of water per day. are the biggest
land mammals.
Elephants live in herds and the oldest female elephant will
lead the herd.
The trunk of an elephant can be used to hold and hand-
le things just like a human hand.
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Elephant tusks are hollow. They are made of ivory and are
The leading
sensitive to touch.
female
elephant in
The
An elephant trunk is a mixture of nose and upper lip.
a herd
trunk has no bones and consists of
is called the
m
­ uscles and nerves.
matriarch.

2. Elephant
Facts:
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Elephants have four molar teeth, which can
re-grow up
­ to six times during their lives.
Female elephants have teats in the front part of the body so
that they can stroke their babies with their trunk while they feed.
Elephants can’t sweat. To keep their skin cool and
elastic they love to take a mud bath. Additionally, the dried
mud protects them from insect bites and
sunburn. Info Box
If elephants can’t take a mud bath they’ll bath in water and
Elephants are good
afterwards they’ll cover themselves with dust, this acts like
swimmers. They can
dried mud.
use their trunk as
a snorkel.
100 kg
Elephant babies weigh already as much as
d
­ uring birth (about 2 times as much as
a baby hippo).
Elephants are fully-grown when they are 30 years old and
they can live for about 70 years.
the
Elephants don’t have strong eyesight but they have
biggest brains in the animal kingdom.

3. Elephant
Quiz:
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True or False?
1. Elephants are the tallest land mammals.
2. A young male elephant leads the herd.
3. Elephants can use their trunk as a snorkel.
4. Elephants can see very well.
5. African elephants are bigger than its Indian cousins.
Answers:
1. F (they are the BIGGEST land mammals), 2. F (the oldest female (called a matriarch) will lead the herd), 3. T, 4. F, 5. T