Thousands of years ago, many kinds of giant monsters roamed about the great forests then covering the earth. Even though these beasts were immense in size, they were not able to endure the hardships they had to undergo, brought about by changing climate and disappearance of food.

One by one they perished, until of all those huge animals, there are only two species remaining, the African and Asiatic elephants. The ancestors of the elephant were great monsters, known as “mammoths.” Their skeletons can be seen in museums, and they are quite awesome sights! Their bones have been dug up in caves and river beds in North America and Europe. In far-off Siberia, the carcass of one was found frozen hard in ice, perfectly preserved even to its eyes!

Although elephants seem to have once inhabited many parts of the earth, they are now found in their wild state only in Africa and tropical Asia.

Elephants are the largest land animals, and in many ways, among the most interesting. They are mild and gentle, and quite intelligent. They are more easily trained than any other beast except the domestic dog.

The shape of the elephant’s legs, like four huge pillars, is necessary to support its immense weight. Its ivory tusks are really overgrown teeth. These tusks are used to dig up roots for food and also as weapons for defense. The brain of the elephant is comparatively small, considering the size of the animal.

The most remarkable part of the elephant’s body is its trunk. It is an extension of the nose and upper lip, and it serves the elephant as hand, arm, nose, and lips, all in one. There are about 40,000 muscles in the trunk, so it is very strong and flexible. The tip of the trunk ends in a sort of finger which is so sensitive that it can pick up a small pin!