OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

Elephants are the biggest animals that live on land! These gentle giants are very smart and love being around their families. They have long noses called trunks that they use to grab food, drink water, and even give hugs. Elephants have been on Earth for millions of years!

Elephants are huge and can weigh as much as a school bus! They have thick, wrinkly gray skin and big floppy ears. Their trunk is super strong and can pick up something as tiny as a peanut. Elephants also have long, curved tusks made of ivory and a short, thin tail with a tuft of hair at the end.

Did you know there are actually two kinds of elephants? African elephants live in the grasslands and forests of Africa, and Asian elephants live in the forests of India and Southeast Asia. African elephants are bigger and have larger ears shaped like the continent of Africa! Sadly, elephants need a lot of space to roam and find food, and their homes are getting smaller as people build more farms and towns. Many people are working hard to protect the wild places where elephants live.