Elephas iolensis

The **greater African-Asian elephant** (*Elephas iolensis*) is a species of large herbivorous mammal belonging to the Elephantidae family, and is part of the genus *Elephas*, much like Asian elephants (*Elephas maximus*). The greater African-Asian elephant is mainly found in the African savannah, wetlands, and jungles, originally living during the Late Pleistocene age, between 130,000 and 10,000 years ago, and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced back to Africa to help boost biodiversity. It is the closest relative of the **African straight-tusked elephants** (*Palaeoloxodon recki*) and, more distantly, the **African small-eared elephant** (*Elephas ekorensis*). The greater African-Asian elephant is very similar to other elephants of the genus *Elephas*, but with long tusks in both genders and a darker, thicker skin to counteract the heat in Africa. Just like Asian elephants, greater African-Asian elephants have a very large and highly developed neocortex, a trait also shared by humans, apes and certain dolphin species. They have a greater volume of cerebral cortex available for cognitive processing than most other existing land animals. Results of studies indicate that, like Asian elephants, greater African-Asian elephants have cognitive abilities for tool use and tool-making similar to great apes. They exhibit a wide variety of behaviours, including those associated with grief, learning, allomothering, mimicry, play, altruism, use of tools, compassion, cooperation, self-awareness, memory, and language. Greater African-Asian elephants are reported to head to safer ground during natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes. They are crepuscular megaherbivores and consume up to 150 kg (330 lb) of plant matter per day. They are generalist feeders, and are both grazers and browsers. They are known to feed on at least 132 different plant species, most commonly of the order Malvales, as well as the legume, palm, sedge and true grass families. They browse more in the dry season with bark constituting a major part of their diet in the cool part of that season. They drink at least once a day and are never far from a permanent source of fresh water. They need 80–200 litres of water a day and use even more for bathing. At times, they scrape the soil for clay or minerals. Adult females and calves move about together as groups, while adult males disperse from their mothers upon reaching adolescence. Bull elephants are solitary or form temporary 'bachelor groups'. Bulls will fight one another to get access to oestrous females. Strong fights over access to females are extremely rare. Bulls reach sexual maturity around the age of 12–15. Between the age of 10 and 20 years, bulls undergo an annual phenomenon known as "musth". This is a period where the testosterone level is up to 100 times greater than non-musth periods, and they become aggressive. Secretions containing pheromones occur during this period, from the paired temporal glands located on the head between the lateral edge of the eye and the base of the ear. The gestation period is 18–22 months, and the female gives birth to one calf, only occasionally twins. The calf is fully developed by the 19th month, but stays in the womb to grow so that it can reach its mother to feed. At birth, the calf weighs about 100 kg (220 lb), and is suckled for up to three years. Once a female gives birth, she usually does not breed again until the first calf is weaned, resulting in a four to five-year birth interval. Females stay on with the herd, but mature males are chased away. greater African-Asian elephants reach adulthood at 17 years of age in both sexes. The African small-eared elephants live on average for 60 years in the wild and 80 years in captivity. The conservation status of the greater African-Asian elephants is **Vulnerable** due to some habitat loss and poaching, however, thanks to conservationists, the greater African-Asian elephants are making a comeback and, unlike Asian elephants, the population trend of greater African-Asian elephants is increasing due to strong conservation efforts.