Elephants are gregarious, and have been found in herds of several hundred, although around 20 individuals is more common. Elephant society is matriarchal, and is organized around a stable family unit. Nearly all the females are related. The males are driven out of the clan at puberty, 8-20 years old. Elephant pregnancy averages 22 months with the birth of a single calf weighing around 200 pounds.
Twin births are rare.
The herd will wait for the youngster to be able to travel with the herd before they move on, usually 2-3 days. The tusks are used for tools to dig up roots, pry bark off of trees, marking territory and fighting. Usually, one tusk is favored over the other and will be worn down shorter. There are two types of elephants, the Asiatic or Indian elephant , Elephas maximus and the African elephant, Loxodonta africana . The fastest way to differentiate the species is to look at the ears.