At first glance, African elephants look similar to Asian elephants, but they are different species that live in different parts of the world. Yet in Elephant Odyssey, you can see both species! How to tell them apart? African elephants have very large ears that are shaped like the continent of Africa, while Asian elephants have smaller ears. Also, an Asian elephant's back is rounded, but an African elephant's back has a dip or sway in it. Their trunks are a little different, too: African elephants have two “fingers” at the end of their trunk; Asian elephants have one. Both Asian elephants and African savanna elephants are categorized as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. African forest elephants are Critically Endangered.
A wonderful feature of Elephant Odyssey is our Elephant Care Center, where you may see wildlife care specialists scrubbing an elephant’s foot or observe elephants participating in their own healthcare routines. It’s a great place to chat with our wildlife care specialists, too. Be sure to check out the life-size statues of wooly mammoths for some great photo ops!