Elephants and their ancestors have been lived on this planet for five million years.Scientists had found their bones in many places，from Asia to North America.Present－day elephants are also survived in different kinds of environments，including very dry areas in Niger，grasslands in East Africa，and forests in West Africa.

Because of their great size and strength，elephants always fascinates humans.Our fascination has almost causing African elephants to become extinct.Poachers (illegal hunters )have already killing hundreds of thousands of elephants for the ivory of their tusks.After 1989 it become illegal to sell ivory.Since then，the elephant population has been grown steadily.Now several countries were protecting elephants in national parks，and the herds have became larger and healthier.