When discussing dangerous game hunting in Africa, elephants are definitely on many hunters’ bucket lists. Although this animal is often referred to as a gentle giant, when agitated it can become very aggressive, and with a land speed of nearly 25 miles per hour, it is a force with which to be reckoned.

One of the Big 5, the Dangerous 7, and a definite trophy when hunting in Africa, elephants are a popular choice for those enjoying big game hunting. Elephants live in herds and are very protective of all their members, especially their calves. If they feel that their calves or members of the herd are in danger, they may become very defensive and aggressive towards the perceived threats, and this includes humans. Should humans enter their territory, surprise them, or come too close to their calves, they can and will attack if they feel it is warranted.

The herd leader is called the matriarch. She is the oldest, largest, and most dominant female. The matriarch is the backbone of the elephant family unit, as she provides stability and guidance within the herd. Other females comprising the family unit are usually her daughters and their offspring.

Elephants are herbivores, and consume a large variety of plant material, including grasses, leaves, shrubs, fruits, vegetables, and roots, depending on the season and their habitat. When it’s particularly dry, elephants will eat more woody parts of trees and shrubs like twigs, branches, and bark.

Elephants are constantly eating and can consume up to 330 pounds of food per day! They require about 18 to 26 gallons of water daily but may consume up to 40 gallons if it is very dry, or they have been without water for a long time.

There are two main types of elephants found in Africa, namely the African Bush Elephant and the African Forest Elephant:

1.     The African Bush Elephant

The African Bush elephant, also known as the African savannah elephant, is the world’s largest land animal, weighing over 13,200 pounds! They are native to areas of sub-Saharan Africa, including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, South Africa, and Angola.

2.     The African Forest Elephant

The African Forest elephant is native to the humid tropical forests in West Africa and the Congo Basin and is the smallest of the three living elephant species, reaching a shoulder height of approximately 7.8 feet.

How do an elephant’s ears assist to keep it cool?

• An elephant’s ears assist in keeping it cool and is one of their primary functions. 
• Its ears are about 17% of the size of its whole body.
• They contain extensive networks of tiny blood vessels, visible at the outer margins, where the skin is only about 0.04 – 0.08 inches thick.
• The warm blood cools as it circulates through the vessels in the ear due to the thin layer of skin that separates it from the outside air. 
• The cooler blood then circulates back into the body, helping reduce the animal’s overall body temperature.

An interesting fact is that the size of an elephant’s ears is proportionate to its geographic distribution. The closer to the equator the elephant resides, the larger the ears, allowing more heat to move from the body, and therefore it has larger ears. African elephants live closest to the equator and have the largest ears to assist them in keeping cool.

They also use their ears to funnel in sound waves from their surrounding location, which then contributes to their keen sense of hearing. It is this excellent hearing that assists them in knowing when there are predators or dangers (including hunting safaris!) in the surrounding areas.