General African Elephant Facts

Common name : Savanna Elephant

Genus : Loxodonta 

Species : Africana 

The African Elephant is the largest living land mammal.

Average life Span of an elephant is 60-70 years.

African elephants weigh up to 10,000 pounds and grow to 12 feet tall.

Average gestation period is around 20-22 months and the calf weighs 200 pounds and is 3 feet tall.

The African elephants ears are over 2 times as large as the Asian elephants ears and are different shaped. They are often described as looking like the outline of Africa on a map.

Elephants tusks are actually elongated incisors.

The elephants muscular trunk is able to reach as high as 23 feet but also is delicate enough to pick up small objects like fruit or berries.

Elephants are social animals that usually have outgoing personalities.

Their family groups consist of an older matriarch (female head of a family) and 3 or 4 female offspring, joined by their babies. They can be seen caressing a companion or their babies with their trunks.

At maturity, the male elephants leave the herd and join bachelor herds

*There are many organizations that protect elephants from the risk of poachers, who slaughter them just for their tusks. These organizations also attempt to protect elephants who survive in areas in which humans are infringing on their home land.* **

*Please take time to research for yourself and consider making donations to organizations that protect elephants and animals. They are such beautiful creatures and we need to all do our part to help give them a safe place to inhabit. * 

 To see some amazing video of rescued elephants painting self portraits, CLICK HERE 

Common name : Llama

Genus : Lama

Species : Lama glama, Lama guanicoe 

Llamas are members of the camelid, or camel family.

Camelids first appeared on the Central Plains of North America about 40 million years ago. About 3 million years ago llamas� ancestors migrated to South America.

They were domesticated in Peru by Indians over 5000 years ago making them among the oldest domesticated animals in the world. They were used as pack animals.

Llamas can carry 25-30% of their own body weight for a distance of approx 10 miles. (400 pound llama can carry approximately 100 pounds).

Llamas live to be approximately 20 years old.

Llamas are vegetarians.

Llamas prefer to live with other llamas or herd animals.

Llamas do not bite. They spit when agitated but mostly at each other. They also spit to determine who is in charge in the group off llamas. The female will spit at the male if she does not want to breed with him. If properly raised, llamas will not spit at people.

Female llamas reach puberty somewhere around 12 months but the males do not become mature until approximately 3 years.

Llamas gestation period is anywhere from 10 1/2 months to 13 months. Average- 345 days and rarely have twins.

Birth of the baby llama is usually less than 30 minutes. Llamas give birth standing up and usually in warmer, daylight hours.

At birth, a baby llama, called a cria, can weigh 20 pound to 30 pounds.

Within the first hour of birth, baby llamas stand up and are walking and attempting to nurse with their mother.

Famale mothers nuzzle and hum to their newborns instead of licking their babies. The mother's tongue does not read outside their mouth more than a half inch.

The height of a full grown llama is between 5.5 feet to 6 feet tall at the top of the head.

Adult Llamas weigh approximately 280 pounds to 450 pounds.

Llamas are being used as guard animals for herds of sheep, goats, and other livestock in North America. They have been shown to be aggressive toward wild dogs and coyotes.

Llamas have banana shaped ears. They will lay their ears back when agitated.

Llamas communicate with hum like sounds, ear & tail movement and body posture. To alert the herd to danger, they may make a shrill alarm sound.

Llamas have a two toed foot. Because of this, they are very agile and sure footed.