The Asian elephant has been since the disappearance of its ancestor the mammoth, the largest land mammal after the African elephant! What distinguishes it from its African cousin are its shorter ears, its smaller size and its trunk which has only one finger at its end while there are two in the African elephant. The trunk is actually an extension of its lip and nose, allowing it to communicate, to bring water and food to the mouth, to pull and transport branches and to trumpet. Its defenses are made up of ivory and emel and are in fact two teeth, used as a tool and as a defense in combat. The elephants live in herds of around 20 individuals and are gathered around the matriarch, the dean of the group. They spend most of their time looking for food.