🐘 African Elephant Facts for Kids

🐾 Mammals Grades K–5

The African elephant is a plant-eating mammal that lives in Africa. African elephants are the largest animals living on land.

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🐘 African Elephant fact file

Scientific name: Loxodonta africana
Animal group: Mammal
Where it lives: Africa
Habitat: Savannas, forests and deserts across Africa south of the Sahara
Diet: Herbivore (plant-eater) — Grass, leaves, bark, roots and fruit — up to 300 lb a day
Size: Up to about 13 feet tall at the shoulder
Weight: About 5,000–14,000 lb
Life span: Up to about 60–70 years
Status: Endangered

📏 A big male elephant weighs about as much as three cars.

⭐ 5 fun facts about African elephants

African elephants are the largest animals living on land.
An elephant’s trunk is a nose and an upper lip joined together, with tens of thousands of muscles.
Elephants use their huge ears like fans to cool off.
A baby elephant grows inside its mother for about 22 months — almost 2 years!
Elephant herds are led by the oldest female, called the matriarch.

Where do African elephants live?

Wild African elephants are found in Africa. Savannas, forests and deserts across Africa south of the Sahara. If you want to see one in the United States, visit an accredited zoo or aquarium.

What do African elephants eat?

African elephants are herbivores, which means they eat plants. Their menu: grass, leaves, bark, roots and fruit — up to 300 lb a day.

Is the African elephant endangered?

Status: Endangered. That means there are few left in the wild and it needs protection to survive. You can help wild animals by learning about them, saving energy, cutting down on plastic and supporting zoos, aquariums and parks that protect wildlife.