Elephants live in grasslands , savannas , marshes , and deserts . Because the Earth is getting warmer , it is drying up all the water and the plants are dying . It is getting harder to find food and water . Elephants are very important to the environment , because they use their tusks to dig holes to help other animals get water , and their poop is also helpful to grow plants and trees . Since elephants are herbivores , it is important that there are enough trees and plants around , because they need about 300 pounds of food a day . Elephants eat tree bark , fruit , grass , and roots .