Elephants are famous for their matriarchal societies, where family herds are led by the oldest and often wisest female.
African elephants, the largest land animals on Earth, live in these tightly bonded groups made up of mothers, daughters, sisters and their calves, with males leaving the herd when they reach adolescence.
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While elephants are revered and respected across Africa and South Asia for their intelligence and cultural significance, they are also feared – particularly African savanna elephants, which can be unpredictable, highly protective of their young, and dangerous when threatened.
African bush elephants are not just the largest elephants but the largest land animals in the world, weighing in at around 6000kg and standing 3.2m tall at the shoulder, while females are about 60cm shorter and half the weight.
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It is one of the most iconic, revered – and feared -mammals in the world – with a powerful roar that can be heard for miles
