WHY SAVE THE ELEPHANTS

African elephants are family-oriented animals with a complex social structure. There are two types of herds —
females with their young and bachelor herds — and lone males. Females remain with their natal group for
life, sharing responsibility for calves, and males leave the herd once they reach maturity.

Elephants are herbivorous and can be found in different habitats including savannahs, forests, deserts, and marshes. They prefer to stay near water. They are considered to be keystone species due to their impact on their environments. Other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants while predators, such as lions, tigers, hyenas, and any wild dogs, usually target only young elephants (or "calves"). Females ("cows") tend to live in family groups, which can consist of one female with her calves or several related females with offspring. The groups are led by an individual known as the matriarch, often the oldest cow.