The elephant is a large mammal with a long trunk and tusks. The trunk is an elongated nose used for feeding, drinking, bathing, blowing dust, and testing the air. The tusks are upper incisor teeth composed entirely of dentine (ivory) used for defense, levering trees, and scraping for water. Elephants are long-lived (50–70 years) and reach maturity at 12 years. They reproduce slowly (one calf every two to three years) due to a 21-month gestation period and an equally long weaning period. A newborn elephant stands 3 ft (1 m) at the shoulder and weighs 200 lb (90 kg). The Elephantidae includes two living species and various extinct relatives.

Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) grow to 10 ft (3 m) high and weigh 4 tons. The trunk ends in a single lip, the forehead is high and domed, the back convex, and the ears small. Asian elephants are commonly trained as work animals. They range from India to...