OVERVIEW
The Savanna elephant is a subspecies of African elephant that is found in eastern and southern Africa. They are the larger species of African elephant and the largest subspecies of elephant, as well as the largest land mammal on Earth. They are easily identified by their very large ears and longer front legs. The highest densities of Savanna elephants are found in countries such as Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique and South Africa. They do not have any natural predators due to their size, but the calves can be vulnerable to alligator and lion attacks. As such, the elephant's only predators are humans. They are hunted for meat, skin, bones, and tusks. In 1989, hunting of the Savanna elephant for ivory was forbidden after the elephant population fell from several million at the beginning of the 20th century to fewer than 700,000.
The IUCN has designated the Savanna elephant as vulnerable, but conditions vary depending on region. The populations in South Africa are thought to be increasing at 4% per year, but other locations appear to have dwindling amounts.
