Elephants are intelligent herbivore animals that live in family groups. The Asian (or Indian) elephant is smaller than the African, but it is still huge. They are about 8 feet tall and weigh up to 6 tons! Only some of the males have tusks. Their trunks are used to get water and food, as well as for breathing.
There are about 40,000 Indian elephants left throughout South Asia. India itself has the largest number, with about 57% of the total. One of the major threats to the Indian elephant is a distruction of its habitat by humans. Elephants need extensive grazing grounds and most reserves cannot accomodate them. There is also a serious poaching problem, as elephant ivory from the tusks is valued. In 1991, India began Project Elephant to ensure the survival of this animal and link elephant habitats to create larger grazing grounds.
