The common name is the African Elephant, the scientific name is Loxodonta
             Africana, the phylum is Vertebrata, the class is Mammalia, the order is Proboscidea,
             and the family is Elephantidae. The Closest Relatives to the African Elephant are: the
             Asian Elephant, mammoths, primitive proboscidean (mastodons), sea cows, and
             hyraxes. Scientists believe that the African Elephant evolved from one of its closest
             The geographical location and range of the African elephant covers all of
             central and southern Africa. In Ethiopia there are isolated populations that exist
             around Lake Chad in Mali and Mauritania. Also in Kenya, Rhodesia, Tanzania,
             Zambia, Uganda, Zaire, and in National parks located in South Africa, as well as
             several other countries. African Elephants, originally, were found in all of the
             Sub-Saharan African habitats except desert steppes. Elephants still occupy diverse
             habitats such as: temperate grassland, tropical savanna and grass lands, temperate
             forest and rainforest, tropical rainforest, tropical scrub forest, and tropical deciduous
             forest despite their drastic decline in numbers. However, their migratory patterns and
             habitat use have changed, due to the fact that they are restricted to protected areas.
             The elephant can exist in many types of environments but it prefers places that have
             many trees and bushes, which the elephant needs both for food and shade. They also
             like warm areas that have plenty of rainfall. This ensures plenty of food, shade, and
             water. The elephant prefers a habitat of mixed woodland and grassland which gives
             them an opportunity to eat a variety of vegetation.
             African Elephants are considered herbivores, they are both browsers and
             grazers; they will eat rough sticks, stems and leaves of plants as well as grasses,
             sedges, and fruit. Their favorites are mangoes, berries and coconuts. An elephant eats
             up to 500 pounds of vegetation every day ...