African Forest elephants - Facts and Information

African Forest elephants are an elusive subspecies of African Forest elephants and inhabit the densely wooded rainforests of west and Central African Republic. This page has all the data and facts about elephants. I trust you appreciate finding out about elephants.

Quick Facts

Common Name	African Forest Elephant
Scientific Name	Loxodonta cyclotis
Group	Mammal
Location	Central and southern Africa
Habitat	Forest, savannah and flood plains
Colour	Grey, Brown
Size (L)	2m - 3m (6.6ft - 9.8ft)
Weight	900kg - 3,000kg (1,984lbs - 6,613lbs)
Top Speed	39km/h (24mph)
Diet	Herbivore
Prey	Grass, Fruit, Roots
Predators	Human, Lion, Hyena
Lifestyle	Diurnal
Lifespan	60 - 70 years
Age of Sexual Maturity	11 - 20 years

Classification and Evolution

The African Forest Elephant is one among two Elephant subspecies found on the African continent. Although the African Forest Elephant is slightly smaller than the African Bush Elephant, it's still one among the most important animals found ashore today.

Although these two Elephant species are very similar, the African Forest Elephant is assumed to possess rounder ears and straighter tusks than the African Bush Elephant, and it's been also noted that the African Bush Elephant and therefore the African Forest Elephant have a special number of toe nails. Until recently though, they were considered to be the same species.

Behaviour and Lifestyle

The African Forest Elephant mainly uses its immense tusks for digging for roots within the ground and to strip the bark off trees. The African Forest Elephant also uses its tusks to defend itself from predators like Lions, and to fight with other male African Forest Elephants during the mating season. Males are generally fairly solitary but females and their young form small family groups referred to as herds.

This allows the more vulnerable offspring to be more easily protected. African Forest Elephants communicate through a series of low-frequency calls which they're ready to detect from a couple of kilometres away.

Reproduction and Life Cycles

Female African Forest Elephants reach sexual maturity (are ready to reproduce) after 10 or 11 years, and male African Forest Elephants often don't reach sexual maturity until they're nearly 20 years old. After a gestation of up to 2 years, the feminine African Forest Elephant gives birth to one calf (twins are known but are extremely rare).

The African Forest Elephant calf is nursed for two years and can remain with the herd until it's sufficiently old to support itself. It is at now that the tusks of the African Forest Elephant calf are going to be beginning to grow.