Largest Mammal On the Planet

You have probably heard of the African Elephant, or it’s scientific name Loxodonta africana, and if you haven’t here are some facts. The African Elephant is an endangered species and there are only 450,000 left on this planet, and that was recorded about five years ago.  The average lifespan for this 6000 kilograms is 70 years old. Elephants have a trunk and they use it for  smelling, breathing, detecting vibrations, caressing their young, sucking up water, and grasping objects. Another characteristic of an elephant are tusks. In fact tusks are one of the main reasons that elephants are now an endangered species. You see a while back people used to kill elephants just for their tusks and killed many elephants. Now it is illegal for people to kill elephants just for their tusks.  Elephant tusks are utilized in a wide range of activities. They are used for digging, foraging, and fighting. At times, they also act as a resting place for the elephant’s very heavy trunk. How tall do you think this beast is? I will give you a hint it is a double digit under 20 and measured in feet.