- Name of animal: African Elephant
- Scientific name: Loxodonta africana
- Classification: Mammalia, Proboscidea, Elephantidae
- Size: Up to 13 feet tall at shoulder; weight up to 14,000 pounds
- Life Span: 60–70 years in the wild
- Description: Large gray-skinned mammal with long trunk, large ears, and curved tusks. Known for intelligence and social behavior.
- Special Traits: Uses trunk for breathing, smelling, touching, grasping, and producing sound. Has excellent memory and complex communication.
- Diet: Herbivore; eats grasses, fruits, bark, and leaves—up to 300 pounds daily.
- Homes: Savannas, forests, deserts, and marshes across sub-Saharan Africa.
- Care for young and reproduction: Gestation lasts 22 months—the longest of any land animal. Calves are cared for by the mother and other females in the herd (allomothering). Young stay with the herd for many years.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of animal report worksheet.
