African Bush Elephant

The **African bush elephant** (*Loxodonta africana*), also known as the **African savanna elephant**, is the larger of the two species of African elephants and the largest living terrestrial animal. These elephants were previously regarded as the same species, but the African forest elephant has been reclassified as *L. cyclotis*.

The bush elephant is much larger in height and weight than the forest elephant, while the forest elephant has rounder ears and a trunk that tends to be more hairy. The bush elephant has few predators besides humans. While the most numerous of the three extant elephant species, its population continues to decline due to poaching for ivory and destruction of habitat. Elephants are social animals, traveling in herds of females and adolescents, while adult males usually live alone.

## Description

The African bush elephant has several distinct features which sets them apart from other similar species. They are generally larger than the African forest elephant, which has rounder ears and straighter tusks. The bush elephant is known to have a concave back with stocky legs and a thickset body, compared to the Asian elephant who has a convex back. The African bush elephant’s trunk has more than 40,000 muscles and tendons that allows them to lift heavy objects. They also tend to have dull brownish-grey skin that is wrinkly with black bristly hairs, large ears, and a long and flattened tail. The skull of the African elephant is very large, making up twenty-five percent of its total body weight. The estimated population size is near 300,000, and they usually live up to 70 years in age when in the wild. However, in captivity, they tend to only live up 65 years.

African elephants utilize their long trunks and four large molars to break down and consume a large bulk of plants, shrubs, twigs, and branches. In particular, they use their trunks to strip leaves, break branches, dismantle tree bark, unearth roots, drink water, and even bathe. Without their trunks, these elephants would find their everyday routine of bathing, drinking, and eating considerably more difficult. Their molars, aiding in the consumption and digestion process, measures nearly 10 cm wide and 30 cm long, gradually withering away until the age of 15. Towards the age of 30, their baby teeth, also known as their milk teeth, are replaced by a new set which are substantially larger and stronger. As these elephants age, their teeth undergo two more stages of growth, ages 40 and 65-70, until the animal eventually dies from an inability to appropriately feed.

The African bush elephant is the largest and heaviest land animal on Earth, being up to 3.96 m (13.0 ft) tall at the shoulder and 10.4 tonnes (11.5 short tons) in weight (a male shot in 1974, near Mucusso, southern Angola). On average, males are about 3.2 metres (10.5 ft) tall at the shoulder and about 6 tonnes (6.6 short tons) in weight, while females are much smaller at about 2.6 metres (8.5 ft) tall at the shoulder and about 3 tonnes (3.3 short tons) in weight. Elephants attain their maximum stature when they complete the fusion of long-bone epiphyses, occurring in males around the age of 40 and females around the age of 25. Their large size means that they must consume around 50 gallons of water everyday in order to stay hydrated.

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