Top Elephant Flashcards

Elephants are the largest land-animals in the world today. Weighing in at over 13,000 pounds, an adult African elephant dwarfs every other creature in its environment: you would have to put 100 people on a scale just to match the weight of a single one!

Though mostly known for their size, elephants are also extremely intelligent and graceful. They live in large family groups headed by a “matriarch,” or dominant female, who takes responsibility for leading and protecting the others. Even though they don’t have language, they can cooperate and communicate with one another better than many primates – indeed, better than many humans! They have been known to form lifelong emotional bonds with other elephants, and even “mourn” when their friends pass away.

Many elephant species are living right on the edge of extinction due to human beings hunting them and transforming their habitat. Elephants look tough, but their ecosystems are extremely fragile and easily disturbed by human activity. But through dedication and hard work, it will be possible to save the Earth’s elephants.