Habitat

They live in the central and southern parts of Africa. They live in dry areas such as savannas, marshes, lakeshores, and deserts. 

Physical Adaptations

The African Elephant has vertically positioned limbs to support its heavy limbs. Their skull consists of several air cavities to help lessen the weight and maintain overall strength. They use their trunks for drinking water, obtaining food, digging, and defense. Due to living in very hot environments, the African Elephant uses its trunk and ears to stay cool. For example, they squirt a trunkful of water out of their trunks onto their bodies and they flap their large ears to release excess heat. African Elephants have about 150,000 muscle units in their trunks. They have 11-foot tusks to help them fight, mark, feed, and dig. They also have hair around their eyes to prevent foreign objects from entering. Lastly, they have large padded feet with thick cushion-like soles that distribute their heavy weight and that help them move silently around their environment.  

Behavioral Adaptations

The African Elephant is diurnal and very active throughout the day. They move around in herds for defense, in search of food, and to keep them safe from predators. They use their trunks to communicate and display signs of affection. The African Elephant uses its trunk to make a loud trumpeting noise as a warning to its herd and the predators. They also use their trunks to breathe while underwater. This allows them to access water & submerged vegetation. They also use their tusks to make water holes to lay in the mud, cool down, and protect them from sunburn.