Today, wild elephants live naturally only in Africa and Asia. Elephants in both places are considered endangered, and their numbers are steadily declining. In Asia human population growth has reduced the elephant population to approximately 40,000. In Africa hunting is the biggest danger to elephants, though it is illegal.
Elephants have very distinctive physical characteristics.
They are the only animal with a trunk, which is a combination nose and upper lip. An elephant breathes and smells with its trunk. If threatened, an elephant may trumpet a warning through its trunk. The trunk also contributes to the elephant's very keen sense of touch, almost serving as the animal's fingers as it searches for or examines food. Despite its great senses of smell and touch, the elephant has very poor eyesight.