About This Quiz
The elephant is the largest mammal that lives on land. You can identify the geographical origin of an elephant simply by the size of its ears. Take this quiz to learn more about elephants.The elephant is the largest mammal that lives on land, but the whale is the largest mammal.
Elephants are native to both Africa and Asia.
Elephants can be domesticated and have been trained to act in the circus and to pull heavy loads.
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Elephants weigh between 6,000 to 14,000 pounds (2,700 to 6,350 kilos) and usually the female is a bit smaller than the male.
Elephants cool their body temperature by flapping their ears, and ear size can give a clue to the elephant's geographic origin.
Elephants with larger ears come from the hotter climates of Africa.
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A frightened elephant uses its trunk to blow a trumpet sound.
The elephant sucks up water with its trunk, and then squirts the water into its mouth.
Mud or dirt flung on its back helps the elephant to cool off.
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An angry elephant can charge at 25 mph (40 kph) for a short distance.
An elephant uses its trunk to breathe and smell.
Elephants are mostly social animals and live in herds. Females live with a heard of 15 to 40 others females, and their offspring plus a male leader. Males live alone or with small groups of other males.
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Droughts and other disasters can bring hundreds of elephants together.
Elephants have been slaughtered for their tusks, and as a result African and Asian elephants are now threatened with extinction.
In 1989, an international moratorium on the trade in ivory and other elephant products was agreed upon by more than 100 countries.
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Asian elephants may be trained in 10 years.
A training method similar to the one used to train horses is used with elephants.
There are only three species of elephants: the African savanna and African forest elephant and the Indian elephant.
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An elephant's lifespan is 80 years.