As the institution that led in the establishment of the Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan, the North Carolina Zoological Park is helping to ensure the survival of this unique species. The largest of the land animals, African elephants have been brought to the brink of extinction due to loss of habitat and poaching for their ivory tusks. A worldwide ban on the sale of ivory and the protection of the remaining herds in national parks and reserves in Africa hold hope for the survival of the species in the wild. In the areas where elephants have been protected, herds have grown substantially. However, since female elephants produce only one calf every five years, continued protection is essential.
Elephants live in a variety of habitats from open savannas to dense forests.
The females are very social, living in herds with a dominant cow as leader. Male elephants are usually solitary as adults and only travel with the herds for mating. The elephant's loud trumpeting helps them locate each other across the vast savanna. Elephants also communicate with low rumbling sounds, too low for humans to hear, that travel for miles across the savanna. The elephant's skin is thick, but it still needs protection from the sun and parasites.