15 Things You Didn't Know About Elephants

Brush up on some Elephant facts just in time for World Elephant Day!

1.

Via giphy.com

Elephants are the only remaining family from the taxonomic order for trunked mammals, Proboscidea, which includes Mammoths and Mastadons.

2.

Via LITTLEANIMALGIFS.TUMBLR.COM

There are two species of Elephants: African (pictured) and Asian.

3.

Daniel Tiveau for CIFOR / Via flic.kr

There are 4 subspecies of Asian Elephant: Sri Lankan, Indian, Borneo and Sumatran. There are 2 proposed subspecies of African Elephant : Forest (pictured) and Savannah.

4.

Via CAROLINEDOESDCP-AGAIN.TUMBLR.COM

Their trunks are composed of 100,000 different muscles and are used for everything from trumpeting to drinking.

5.

CHEEZBURGER.COM

Elephants extend their trunks to one another as a greeting. Matriarchs will teach the calves to do the same.

6.

Via TUMBLR.COM

Elephants can walk almost silently, thanks to a soft padding on their feet. They can also use their feet to listen by picking up sub-sonic rumblings made by other elephants in the ground.

7.

Elephants can swim! They can even use their trunk like a snorkel for up to 6 hours at a time.

8.

Via YOURESUCHATWAT.TUMBLR.COM

They use their tusks for digging and finding food. An elephant can use its tusks to dig for ground water, too.

9.

Via ERINBRADS.TUMBLR.COM

Their large ears not only help them to keep cool, but when they can flare them out to look more threatening. (Sorry Dumbo, it's not working!)

10.

Via SHIVERBEFORETHENIGHTISOVER.TUMBLR.COM

Elephants are known for their altruism; they have been reported rescuing another animal in danger, even at considerable cost to themselves.

11.

Via REDDIT.COM

An elephant is killed every 14 minutes.

12.

Kate Miyamoto / USFWS / Via flic.kr

They are killed most often for their tusks. Just a pound of ivory can be worth around $1,500.

13.

DISNEY

Elephants pay homage to the bones of their dead, gently touching the skulls and tusks with their trunks and feet and stopping at a place where a loved one has died.

14.

Via MASHABLE.COM

But don't worry too much just yet! You can protect real elephant habitat for only $0.29 an acre!

15.

Via SDZSAFARIPARK.TUMBLR.COM

World Elephant Day is Wednesday August 12! What better way to celebrate than to protect their home?!