Elephant

There are two species of elephant: African and Asian. The ears of African elephants are described as being shaped like the African continent, whereas the ears of Asian elephants are shaped like the Indian subcontinent.

Elephants have around 150,000 muscle units in their trunk. Their trunks are the most sensitive organ found in any mammal. Asian elephants have been seen to pick up a peanut, shell it, blow the shell out and eat the nut. It can contain up to 8 liters of water in the trunk. Asian elephants have been seen to pick up a peanut, shell it, blow the shell out and eat the nut.

Elephant tusks appears first around 2 years old. Tusks continue growing throughout their lives. They use tusks as a defense when fighting. But these beautiful tusks often cause elephants danger.

An elephant’s skin is 2.5cm thick in most places.

Elephants need up to 150kg of food per day. They eat so much. These magnificent mammals spend between 12 to 18 hours eating grass,  plants, and fruit every single day! They use their long trunks to smell their food and lift it up into their mouth

Amazingly, elephant calves are able to stand within 20 minutes of being born and can walk within 1 hour. After two days, they can keep up with the herd.

The elephant's temporal lobe (the area of the brain associated with memory) is larger and denser than that of people - hence the saying 'elephants never forget'.

Elephants can get sunburned! These giants bathe in mud to help protect their skin from the sun. They also do that to keep bugs off.