Plush Elephants & Elephant Facts

Plush elephants make terrific gifts for a child that has never had one before, or as decoration for an animal themed room such as a bedroom or playroom. And, the more life-sized the plush elephants, the better. Online stores have some spectacular plush elephants that are a must have for anyone thinking of or just beginning a stuffed animal collection. One plush elephant is three foot tall and actually comes with sound and is so lifelike, you will feel like you are standing next to the real thing! There is also a three foot floppy plush elephant that is absolutely perfect for cuddles and hugs. Whichever you choose, you will be extremely pleased with your selection.

Modern elephants ancestors first appeared in fossil records some 45 to 55 million years ago during what is called the Eocene Period. Like many animals we know today, the first elephants (called Moeritherium) were very different they were just two feet tall and had no trunk. It is believed that as the earth became cooler, descendants of the Moeritherium, called Mammoths, began to evolve which means they became larger in size and developed the nose-upper lip combination we know today. Over many generations, the elephants trunk and tusks took on many forms and still looked different from modern elephants. It is thought that the elephants trunk developed in such a way so as to allow the animals with short necks to be able to reach food and water more easily. 150 different species of elephant, which includes mammoths and mastodons, have been cataloged to date.

Two species of elephant survive today: the Asian elephant and the African elephant. Within the Asian elephant population, there are four sub-species: Indian, Ceylon, Siumatran, and Malaysian. It is their physical characteristics based on where they live which distinguishes them from African elephants. For example, the Ceylon sub-species can be found in Sri Lanka and their tendency is to have larger ears than others in the Asian elephant 'category.' With these large ears, they are able to better regulate their body temperatures as the climate in Sri Lanka is extremely hot. Typically, African elephants have the much larger ears of the two species with the African elephant's ear shaped like the continent of Africa. Another difference between Asian and African elephants are their bodies; Asian elephants have smooth skin and rounded backs while African elephants have very wrinkled skin and swayed backs. Both male and female African elephants have tusks while only male Asian elephants have them, though some never have them at all. In addition, both species have different trunks; at the end of their trunk, Asian elephants have a single finger-like projection while African elephants have two fingers. The fingers on both species enable them to pick even the smallest things up. With more than 100,000 muscles [in their trunks], elephants are flexible enough to be able to lift up entire trees.

When it finally comes down to choosing which plush elephants you prefer Asian or African it may not really make a difference in the end. Plush elephants of any species are simply incredible animals in the world of stuffed toys regardless of their different sized ears, so either one (or both) are a treasure to have.