Loxodonta africana

Enchanting.
Entrancing.
Endearing.
Exceptional.
Elements we all endeavor to have and everything an elephant encompasses.
Embrace the strongest land mammal on the planet and excel at everything you encounter!

The male African elephant stands an average of 11 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs an average of 12,000 pounds.  His long, heavy tusks can carry a load weighing as much as 2000 pounds.  (But we girls have tusks, too!)  The trunk is made of tens of thousands of muscles, giving elephants the ability to lift a 600-pound load but with the dexterity to grasp a peanut as well. And while the guy may be the biggest and the strongest, a female—the matriarch—is the one who leads the herd with her incredible memory and survival skills.  The boys are sent off to be on their own.  Brains over brawn, right, ladies?!

Elephants do not run but can impressively reach a walking speed of 25 mph.  It takes some serious strength to move that much weight so fast!

African and Asian elephants face difficult challenges such as habitat loss and poaching.  To learn more about these inspiring animal athletes, visit the International Fund for Animal Welfare (www.ifaw.org) and the International Elephant Foundation (www.elephantconservation.org).