The elephant is a mammal of the order Proboscidea and the family Elephantidae, with two genera, and it is the largest terrestrial animal in the world.

The famous mammoth is the ancestor of modern elephants. Nowadays, elephants mainly inhabit Asia and Africa, with very few found in the Americas and Europe.

Elephants are mainly categorized into African and Asian elephants, each with distinct habits and physical characteristics. African elephants mainly inhabit the jungle lowlands south of the Sahara Desert in Africa.

African elephants live in large herds across forests, dwarf shrubs, and sparse woodlands, demonstrating strong adaptability to various natural environments below 5,000 meters in elevation.

The largest recorded elephant in history was from Africa. According to the Guinness World Records, a male elephant once lived in the small African country of Angola, weighing as much as 27 tons and reaching a height of 4 meters. This Angolan elephant's body was also very long, exceeding 8 meters by the age of 15, with tusks measuring several meters.

The record it set remains unbroken to this day, earning it the title of African Elephant King. However, this Angolan elephant is just an exceptional case, as the normal weight of elephants cannot reach this level. According to statistics, the weight of African elephants mostly ranges from 5.5 to 8 tons.

In contrast, Asian elephants are significantly smaller than African elephants. One of the most noticeable differences is in their appearance. African elephants have larger ears and two protrusions resembling fingers at the end of their long trunks, while Asian elephants have only one. However, aside from these differences, their appearances are quite similar, both having long trunks and incredibly hard tusks.

The most significant difference between the two lies in their habits. For instance, African elephants often sleep standing up, while Asian elephants prefer to lie down to sleep because standing consumes a lot of energy for them, affecting the quality of their sleep. But standing while sleeping does not affect African elephants. The lactation period of Asian elephants is also shorter, which is closely related to their smaller size.

However, ultimately, both types of elephants belong to the same species, with more similarities than differences overall. Elephants have highly developed brains, considered among the most intelligent mammals by scientists. According to behavioral scientists, elephants can create habitats for their communities by using their trunks and tusks to clear areas.

Moreover, when a member of the group dies, companions can bury it in piles of fallen leaves or among dead tree branches, which can be seen as a form of elephant funeral ritual.

Elephants also have long lifespans. Excluding diseases and human interference, elephants can generally live up to 70 years. However, their slow growth cycle, coupled with their long lifespan, puts them at a significant disadvantage in intense natural competition. Despite this, they have managed to survive and reproduce on Earth for so long, indicating their remarkable adaptability.

In nature, elephants, with their tough skin and massive bodies, dominate the top of the food chain. Even lions and tigers hesitate to provoke them in the wild. However, individual strength is not their only reliance; they also possess strong teamwork abilities.

Elephants are social animals, forming family groups of twenty to thirty individuals. Within these groups, there is a strict hierarchical system, and all members must follow the commands of the leader in terms of eating, mating, and movement.

However, despite their millions of years of existence on Earth, elephants now face various challenges, with the main one being humans. For a long time, poachers have been active in the African savannas, targeting the highly valuable ivory tusks. Many elephants have been brutally killed, and their ivory has been harvested to make artifacts.

Nowadays, this resilient species has become endangered, which is truly alarming. No trade, no harm; protecting elephants means protecting all species facing extinction, and this should not just remain a slogan.