File: Elephant Trophy Animals in digital format

Beschreibung

Elephants are proboscidean mammals of the family Elephantidae. Today they correspond to three species divided into two distinct genera. The African Savanna Elephant and the African Forest Elephant, formerly grouped under the same species of "African Elephant", belong to the genus Loxodonta, while the Asian Elephant, formerly called "Indian Elephant", belongs to the genus Elephas. They differ in certain anatomical characteristics, Asian elephants being generally smaller with smaller ears, or a difference in the tip of the trunk. These surviving species are locally the subject of reintroduction and protection programs or projects. The French word "elephant" comes from the Latin word elephantus, which originates from the Greek ἐλέφας meaning "ivory" or "elephant". The elephant appears in many cultures. It is a symbol of wisdom in Asian culture, known for its memory and intelligence, which is compared to that of cetaceans and hominids. Aristotle had said that the elephant is "the beast that surpasses all others in intelligence and wit".