African Forest Elephants
Loxodonta Cyclotis
Animal Kingdom
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Proboscidea
Family: Elephantidae
Genus: Loxodonta
Species: Africana
Information
Until recently, African Bush Elephants and African Forest Elephants were classified as the same species. The African Forest Elephant is slightly smaller than the African Bush Elephant and have straighter tusk and rounder ears. The also are very similar to Asia Elephants, and are descendants from the extinct mammoths. They are a bluish, grayish color and have a long trunk that allows them to carry water and food to it's mouth. Although they might be slightly smaller then their companions, they are still one of the biggest mammals on the earth. They live in central and southern African and usually are found grasslands and jungles. Due to deforestation, the elephant's habitat is slowly decreasing. They travel in nomadic herds, usually with relative elephants, and use low pitched calls to communicate with each other. They are herbivores that mostly eat grass, berries, roots, and other fruits. Their top speed is 24 miles per hour, but they do not climb trees and mostly just walk in their herds.
Fun Facts
The males can grow up to 3 meters tall while the female can grow to be 2.5 meters, and they can weigh from a range of 1,984 pounds to 6,613 pounds. This makes them the largest land mammal. They are hunted by humans, lion, and hyenas, but they are able to protect themselves by their tusk and their huge size alone helps ward off predators. Sadly they are endangered due to deforestation and illegal pouching for their very valuable tusk. Their tusk are different from other common elephants, which makes them more desirable.