What Is an Elephant?

For ages 6-12. As the world's largest land animals, elephants inspire awe in all of us -- an awe that has led to myths of might and memory. Despite its immense strength, however, the elephant is a timid creature that uses its power only to defend itself against predators. Kids will learn many facts about these gentle pachyderms, including: the social structure of elephants, in which the female is the leader; the animal's many, dextrous uses for its trunk; the history of the elephant's even larger ancestors, including woolly mammoths; the dangers that poaching, loss of habitat, and the ivory trade pose to the elephant's future.