African Bush Elephants 4 Blue Whales 6 Burmese Pythons 8 Chinese Giant Salamanders 10 Coconut Crabs 12 Flemish Giant Rabbits 14 Giraffes 16 Great Danes 18 Kodiak Bears 20 Maine Coon Cats 22 Ocean Sunfish 24 Southern Elephant Seals 26 Fact Sheet 28 Glossary 30 For More Information 31 Index 32 About the Author 32 TABLE OF CONTENTS
The African bush elephant is the largest land animal in the world The tallest elephant ever measured 13 feet 4 m from its feet to its shoulders This male weighed 24,000 pounds 10,886 kg That is approximately the weight of 24 horses Most African bush elephants do not grow that large Bulls or males weigh around 14,000 pounds 6,350 kg Cows or females weigh around 7,000 pounds 3,175 kg Elephants ears are around one sixth the size of their TERRIFIC TUSKS All elephants have two ivory tusks These long curved teeth never stop growing Older bulls can have tusks that measure eight feet 2 4 m long The biggest tusks weighed more than 226 pounds 103 kg Tusks of this size are no longer found on elephants Poachers have killed the biggest elephants for their ivory African elephants ears are shaped like the continent of Africa AFRICAN BUSH ELEPHANTS MIGHTY GIANTS 1 4
bodies Elephants also have huge brains bigger than any other land mammal Their brains weigh between 10 and 12 pounds 4 5 and 5 4 kg Besides being enormous mother elephants also have a longer pregnancy than any other mammal They can be pregnant for up to 22 months Newborn elephants are gigantic A calf weighs approximately 250 pounds 113 kg at birth That is around the same size as an adult giant panda Calves grow quickly from drinking their mother’s milk They gain approximately three pounds 1 4 kg each day during their first year Adult elephants have a giant appetite They spend 16 hours a day eating food as they roam across Africa’s savannas Adults chow down on approximately 300 pounds 136 kg of plants each day 150,000 Number of muscles in an elephant’s trunk Elephants use their trunks to smell breathe trumpet grab and greet friends An elephant’s trunk can grow to seven feet 2 1 m long Elephants have four molars each of which can weigh five pounds 2 3 kg Calves drink their mother’s milk until they are three years old 5
