AN ENDANGERED SPECIES
ELEPHANTS ARE PREGNANT FOR 22 MONTHS . THEIR BABIES ARE 200 POUNDS AND ABOUT THREE FEET TALL WHEN THEY ARE BORN , WHILE MOTHERS WEIGH ABOUT 7 , 000-10 , 000 POUNDS AND ARE ABOUT 8-9 FEET TALL , THEY CAN REACH UP TO 13 FEET . BABIES GAIN 700 POUNDS IN THE FIRST YEAR . WHEN THEY ARE FIVE YEARS OLD , THEIR GROWTH SLOWS DOWN . WHEN THE MALES TURN TEN , THEY ARE READY TO BE DADS . FEMALES HAVE BABIES WHEN THEY ARE 12 YEARS OLD .
ELEPHANTS CAN LIVE UP TO 70 YEARS OLD , BUT FOR A LOT OF THEM THEIR LIFE IS CUT SHORT . POACHING ( HUNTING ) IS A BIG PROBLEM IN THE ANIMAL WORLD . ABOUT 35 , 000 ELEPHANTS ARE KILLED EVERY YEAR , AND COULD LEAD TO THEIR EXTINCTION . POACHING ELEPHANTS IS WHEN PEOPLE HUNT THEM FOR THEIR TUSKS , AND SELL THEM . THEIR TUSKS ARE MADE OF IVORY WHICH IS USED FOR PIANO KEYS AND FURNITURE , AND JEWELRY . THERE WAS A BAN IN 1989 , THAT STATED NOBODY COULD SELL , AND BUY IVORY ANYMORE , WHICH HELPED THE ELEPHANT POPULATION GROW AGAIN . EVEN WITH THE BAN IN PLACE , THERE ARE STILL POACHERS .
“ EXPERTS FOLLOW AND MONITOR ELEPHANTS , USING DEVICES LIKE TRACKING COLLARS , SO THEY CAN LOOK AFTER THEM BY WATCHING WHAT THEY ' RE UP TO AND WHERE THEY ' RE GOING . NATIONAL PARKS AND CONSERVATION AREAS HIRE RANGERS TO PATROL THE PARKS ON FOOT AND KEEP POACHERS AWAY .” BBC NEWS REPORTED . AS THE HUMAN POPULATION GROWS , THAT MEANS ELEPHANT HOMES ARE BEING DESTROYED BY FARMLAND , AND POLLUTION IS ALSO A THREAT TO THEM .
Elephants travel in herds that are led by Matriarchs .
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