African bush elephant

Distribution

Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the African bush elephant distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

• Desert
• Flooded grassland
• Marsh
• Mediterranean forest
• Mountain grassland
• Swamp
• Tropical dry forest
• Tropical grassland
• Rainforest

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

• Learning
• Migration
• Co-operative breeding
• Dung eater
• Hierarchical
• Acoustic communication
• Herbivorous
• Maternal care
• Nomadic
• Polygynous
• Active at birth
• Social
• Seed dispersal
• Chemical communication
• Sexual dimorphism
• Heat tolerant
• Tool use
• Visual communication
• Viviparous

African bush elephants up close

eryone can recognise an elephant, although many do not realise that there are three species: Asian, African savannah and African forest. The African savannah elephant is probably the most familiar, with its large ears and long curving tusks. Elephants are famous for their good memories, that are a key feature in helping them to survive the variable, and often harsh, climate of the African plains.

Diet

The bulk of a savannah elephant's diet is made up of grass. African elephants' trunks have two 'fingers' which help them to pull up grass efficiently. They also feed on woody shrubs and trees in the dry season when grass is scarce. At least three quarters of an elephant's time is spent searching for food and eating. Their relatively inefficient digestive system means that they need to eat over 50 tonnes of food a year.

Habitat

There are two species of elephant in Africa, the familiar savannah elephant and the little-known forest elephant. Savannah elephants live on grasslands across Eastern and Central Africa. They can have a dramatic impact on their surroundings, as they systematically destroy groves of trees. However, this destruction returns the land to grass and helps to maintain the African savannah as we know it.

Social behaviour

Elephants are very social animals. Family relationships between herd members are strong, and a female stays in her mothers' herd for her entire life. When males are around 6-7 years old, they leave the herd and form small groups of their own.

Although bull elephants spend a lot of time alone, they regularly meet up and renew their friendships. One of their favourite meeting places is around a water hole.

Family groups of females also keep in touch with neighbouring families, to whom they are often related, and may join up to search for food and water in times of hardship. The matriarch is particularly important when food and water are scarce.

Interesting feature

Herds of elephants are led by the oldest, dominant female, known as the matriarch. Using their fabled long memories, elephants can remember exactly where and when food and water can be found across their home range.

Droughts are common events in Africa, but occasionally last longer than usual, and put all animals under great stress as they search for water. It is during these times that a matriarch's knowledge is invaluable. A matriarch is most likely to have lived through similar shortages before and remember where the previous matriarch led the herd. Herds with young matriarchs are at great risk during prolonged droughts unless they can join up with groups led by more experienced females.