Today there are probably no more than 35,000 to 40,000 left in the wild. At first glance, African and Asian elephants appear the same. An informed eye, however, can distinguish the two species. Probably the most interesting difference between the two species is their ears. Oddly, the African elephant's large ears match the shape of the African continent, and the Asian elephant's smaller ears match the shape of India.
All elephants have tusks, except for female Asian elephants.
Most African elephants live on the savanna, but some live in forests or even deserts. Most Asian elephants live in forests. For this task, they have only four teeth for chewing. Elephants boast the largest nose in the world, which is actually part nose and part upper lip. Role in the Ecosystem Elephants are considered a keystone species in the African landscape.