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Elephant

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A majestic African Bush Elephant in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania.

Elephants

Elephants are the biggest animals that walk on land. They have three kinds: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. All of them have a long trunk that they use to pick up food, drink water, and even talk to each other.

These wonderful animals live in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. You can find them in savannahs, forests, and marshes. They love to eat leaves, grass, and fruit and always stay near water.

Elephants are very smart. They live in families led by the oldest female, called the matriarch. Young male elephants leave when they grow up. Their big ears help keep them cool, and their strong legs let them walk for many miles.

People all over the world love elephants. They appear in stories, art, and many religions. For example, Ganesha, a kind and popular god in Hindu traditions, has an elephant’s head. Elephants remind us to be gentle and wise, just like in the tales of Babar or Dumbo.

Images

An illustration of a bush elephant from historical scientific literature.
A scientific illustration of Deinotherium giganteum, an ancient prehistoric mammal, based on a museum skeleton.
An artist’s illustration of a mastodon, an ancient elephant-like mammal that lived thousands of years ago.
An artistic reconstruction of Gomphotherium, an ancient prehistoric mammal with long tusks.
A reconstruction of Stegodon ganesa, an ancient relative of modern elephants from the Late Pliocene period in India.
Life restoration of Moeritherium lyonsi, an ancient relative of modern elephants.

Related articles

African bush elephant
African forest elephant
Asian elephant
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Asia
Southeast Asia

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Elephant, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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