Realistic Elephants

THE ELEPHANTS OF AFRICA reveals some lesser-known, yet equally important populations that inhabit diverse environments of the continent, from the thick rain forests of the Congo Basin to the parched deserts of Namibia. Researchers have determined that the smaller forest elephants, Loxodonta africana cyclotis, are a distinct subspecies from their savannah cousins of East Africa, Loxodonta africana africana. However, the data suggest that desert elephants are actually savannah elephants who have adapted to the rugged lifestyle of the barren desert.

An adult male savannah elephant -- the largest land mammal in the world -- weighs about 12,000 pounds and stands roughly 10 feet tall at the shoulder. The smaller forest elephant weighs 10,000 pounds at most. And unlike savannah elephants' curved tusks, forest dwellers' are small and straight, designed for negotiating routes through dense foliage. Both elephants do possess the same tough hide (the Latin name for elephant is "pachyderm," or "thick-skinned"). But while their skin may be durable, elephants still need protection from insects and the hot African sun. Wallowing in a mud bath cools down an elephant as well as provides an extra layer of cover.

Regardless of where elephants live, their social behaviors and social structures remain largely the same. Cynthia Moss has dedicated her life to understanding the biology, ecology, and society of the herds that roam the savannahs of Amboseli National Park in Kenya. Here, in the open landscape, biologists can spot a group miles away and approach by car to observe. From their vehicles, Moss and her colleagues in East Africa have unlocked the mysteries of how these enormous animals learn as youngsters, raise their young, survive as adults, and communicate with family members.