Elephants are the largest land mammal (a warm blooded animal that has fur). There are two species of elephants – African elephants and Asian elephants. The scientific name of the African elephant is Loxodonta africana. Elephas maximus is the scientific name of the Asian elephant. World Elephant Day is celebrated on August 12th.
Elephants have long, large ears, tough gray wrinkled skin, and long flexible trunks, which contain about 100,000 different muscles. Their trunk is also called a proboscis. On the end of their trunk, they have between one and two flexible parts that work like fingers to help them grab and pick up things. They use their trunks to breathe, make sound, communicate with other elephants, drink water, pick up objects, and smell things. Their trunks are like a giant nose.
There are many differences between the two species of elephants. African elephants are larger, have longer ears, and both the males and females of this species have tusks. Asian elephants are smaller, with rounder heads and shorter ears, and only the males have tusks. Additionally, Asian elephants have five toes on each of their front feet and four toes on their back feet, while African elephants have five toes on their front feet and three on their back feet.