Asian- Elephant

COMMON NAME : Asian Elephant
SCIENTIFIC NAME : Elephas maximus
TYPE : Mammals
DIET : Herbivore
GROUP NAME : Herd
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD : Up to 60 years
SIZE : Height at the shoulder : 6.6 to 9.8 feet WEIGHT : 2.25 to 5.5 tons

Asian elephants live in the tropical forests and grasslands of Southeast Asia . They're a little smaller than African elephants but can grow nine feet tall and weigh nearly six tons . That's heavier than two medium size cars ! Even newborns are on the hefty side , weighing some 200 pounds . Given their size it's no surprise that these guys are big on food . Adults can eat 300 pounds in one day , nearly 75 times what the average human eats ! An Asian elephant's ideal meal includes roots , grasses , fruit , and bark . Much of an Asian elephant's time is spent searching for grub . In fact the animal may travel 50 miles a day to find food . Asian elephants also enjoy taking dips in the water . To cool down their backsides , the animals will fill their trunks with water and spray it over themselves like a hose .