AFRICAN ELEPHANT:  African elephants are gentle, loving creatures.  Even though they can stand up to ten feet high at their shoulders, they are very social.  Usually, males of this species reach a weight of about 6 tons, while females reach a slightly smaller weight of 4 tons.  Even though they are the largest land mammal on earth, their numbers have been reduced by 50% in the last three generations as a result of poaching.  African elephants are poached for their ivory tusks.

    ASIAN ELEPHANT:  Asian elephants are just as gentle as their African counter-parts, but are slightly smaller.  Asian elephants can grow to a height of 8 feet and can get as long as 18 feet.
Both males and females of this species are about the same size.  The asian elephant is endangered for the same reasons the african elephant is.  They are poached for their tusks and have declined in population by 50% in the last three generations.