AFRICAN SAVANNA ELEPHANTS: BUSH SPECIES EXPLAINED

African Savanna Elephants: They are Also Known as Bush Elephants. They are the world’s largest terrestrial mammal. There are two recognized subspecies of this iconic animal: bush (or savanna) and forest.

Bush Elephants are the larger of the two and their tusks curve out. while their forest-dwelling cousins are darker and have tusks that are straighter and that point downward.

An elephant can be easily recognized by its large size, columnar legs, and long trunk. The incisor teeth are modified into continually growing tusks of dentine. while the molar teeth of which there are six in each half of the upper and lower jaws erupt at the back of the jaw and migrate forward.

in a conveyer-belt-like fashion over about 60 years. The large head is made lighter by the presence of air pockets in the skull.

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION OF AFRICAN SAVANNA ELEPHANTS.

The Scientific name of African Savanna Elephants is Loxodonta Africana. This is For Bush Elephants, Also Known as Savanna Elephants.

WEIGHT.

• 2,000 TO 6,100 KILOGRAMS (ABOUT 2 TO 7 TONS).

SIZE.

• UP TO 4 METERS (13 FEET).

HABITAT.

• OPEN AND CLOSED SAVANNA, GRASSLANDS, AND ARID DESERTS

LIFE SPAN.

• 60 TO 70 YEARS.

PREDATORS

• HUMANS AND OCCASIONALLY LIONS OR HYENAS.

Challenges Facing African Savanna Elephants.

1. Elephant Gestation and Reproduction is a Slow Process.

They have longer pregnancies than almost any other mammal. Calves are carried for about 22 months, with cows usually bearing only one calf every three to six years. Their regeneration rate averages 5 to 6 percent annually, compared to the 8 to 9 percent poaching rates, resulting in a net loss in population numbers.

2. Elephant Poaching and Demand for Ivory are Driving this Mammal Toward Extinction.

The large ivory tusks on either side of their face used for foraging for food and water have long been desired by people. The ivory trade is driven by consumer demand for products made from tusks and supplied by a sophisticated international network of traffickers. Poachers kill this iconic species for its ivory tusks, which are then sold and made into anything from jewelry and crafts to musical instruments to religious objects.

Solutions to the Challenges.

Our solutions to protecting and conserving this iconic endangered African species:

• Raising Awareness to end Ivory Demand.

Since 2012, AWF and partner Wild AID have developed celebrity-driven public awareness campaigns that shed light on the ivory trade’s impact on populations and demonstrate the true horrors of poaching. We have worked with celebrity ambassadors like former NBA star, Yao Ming, actor Jackie Chan, actor Li Bingbing, and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson.

• Empower Community Members.

AWF works with communities who live in close quarters with wildlife, to recruit, train, and equip wildlife scouts. These wildlife scouts monitor wildlife and can prevent them from destroying crops, thereby preventing farmers from viewing them as pests, Scouts are also instrumental in deterring poachers.

As a result, AWF can ensure enhanced protection of wildlife in these regions, like the Osupuko and Kitome Conservancies in Kenya, as well as provide additional employment opportunities to local communities.

• Give them Room to Roam.

Wildlife corridors are large sections of land that allow wildlife to move from one national park to another and even from one country to another. African Wildlife Foundation works with people on all levels from governments to communities to set land aside specifically for wildlife use, and in some cases, purchase land to set it aside for conservation.

Habitat loss poses a long-term threat to African elephant populations.

Behaviors of African Bush Elephants.

• African Bush Elephants are Friendly.

Much like humans, these mammals are social creatures that live in small family groups that usually consist of an older matriarch and several generations of female relatives. Males are typically solitary once matured but may live in small groups of three or four bulls.

They take care of weak or injured members and even appear to grieve over dead companions.

• Elephants have a very long nose, which also doubles as an arm.

Also, Their Trunk is a long nose that is used for breathing, smelling, drinking, trumpeting, and grabbing objects. Their trunks are also a grooming tool. Grooming consists of using their trunks to cover themselves with mud or water to maintain hydration.

They have two fingerlike extensions on the tips of their trunks that are used for holding onto small objects. They also use their trunks to exhibit affection, by frequently touching and caressing one another.

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