Ecstatic about Elephants!

The mighty AfRiCaN ElEpHaNt (Loxodonta).

Visit the African Elephant at the Toronto Zoo

One way to tell if an elephant is an African one is by its ears! The African elephant’s ears are shaped in a triangular shape, like the continent Africa. The African elephant roams all types of African habitat, from savanna and bush to forest, river valley and semi-desert areas.

The trunk, which is an elongation of the nose and nostrils, is long, muscular and ends in two finger-like projections, which are used to pick up and examine objects. The trunk is very sensitive and has little hairs on it that are like nerve endings.

Elephants like to eat plants such as grass, foliage and branches or trees as well as fruit.

The African elephant is endangered because they’re hunted for their ivory tusks, which are considered to be very valuable in some parts of the world. Find out what you can do to help endangered species by visiting the World Wildlife Fund website.

Did you know?

• The elephant is the largest living land animal – adult males can weigh up to 5 tons!
• Elephants take mud or dust baths to protect them from sunburn
• An elephant’s trunk is actually an extension of its nose and nostrils. It’s also used to pick up objects.

Visit the African elephant at the Toronto Zoo .