The adult male is much larger than the adult female. Brownish gray skin has folds and may be one inch thick in places. The African Elephant has a marked dip between its fore and hindquarters giving a concave curvature to its back. Ears are large and fan-like. The trunk has two prehensile protrusions at the tip.
Large tusks are present in both sexes.
Elephants are digitigrade with pads of fibrous tissue to cushion toe bones. Now they are mostly restricted to parks and preserves. Highly adaptable, elephants can survive in forest, bush or savanna. Elephants have an inefficient digestive system and digest only about 40 per cent of what they eat. They eat enormously.