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The '''elephant''' (Elephantidae) belongs to the family of [[pachyderm]], and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea in the class Mammalia. Elephantidae has three living species: the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant (until recently known collectively as the African Elephant), and the Asian Elephant (also known as the Indian Elephant).  

The '''elephant''' (Elephantidae) belongs to the family of [[pachyderm]], and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea in the class Mammalia. Elephantidae has three living species: the African [[Bush]] [[Elephant]], the African [[Forest]] Elephant (until recently known collectively as the African Elephant), and the Asian Elephant (also known as the Indian Elephant).  

Elephants are mammals, and the largest land animals alive today. The elephant's gestation period is 22 months, the longest of any land animal, although the blue whale is larger.  Some people incorrectly believe that the blue whale once walked on land. At birth it is common for an elephant calf to weigh 120 kg (265 lb). An elephant may live as long as 70 years, sometimes longer. The largest elephant ever recorded was shot in Angola in 1956. It was male and weighed about 12,000 kg (26,400 lb), with a shoulder height of 4.2m, a meter taller than the average male African elephant.

Elephants are mammals, and the largest land animals alive today. The elephant's gestation period is 22 months, the longest of any land animal, although the blue whale is larger.  Some people incorrectly believe that the blue whale once walked on land. At birth it is common for an elephant calf to weigh 120 kg (265 lb). An elephant may live as long as 70 years, sometimes longer. The largest elephant ever recorded was shot in Angola in 1956. It was male and weighed about 12,000 kg (26,400 lb), with a shoulder height of 4.2m, a meter taller than the average male African elephant.