# TuskWise

> TuskWise is a free, original educational website about elephants: the African savanna elephant, the African forest elephant and the Asian elephant. It covers how to tell the species apart, anatomy, family life and behavior, intelligence and memory research, habitats and diet, conservation status and population estimates, and how to see elephants ethically in the wild. Every page cites reputable sources such as the IUCN, WWF, accredited zoos and peer reviewed studies. Operated by Joshua Israel Ventures LLC.

The content is general education. Population figures are the latest published estimates and are dated on each page.

## Tools
- [African vs Asian elephant comparison](https://tuskwise.com/african-vs-asian-elephant.html): side by side comparison table of the African savanna, African forest and Asian elephant (ears, tusks, trunk, back, size, range, diet, IUCN status, population) with deep links
  - Sections: [Comparison table](https://tuskwise.com/african-vs-asian-elephant.html#table), [Ears](https://tuskwise.com/african-vs-asian-elephant.html#ears), [Tusks](https://tuskwise.com/african-vs-asian-elephant.html#tusks), [Trunk tip](https://tuskwise.com/african-vs-asian-elephant.html#trunk), [Back and head shape](https://tuskwise.com/african-vs-asian-elephant.html#shape), [Size](https://tuskwise.com/african-vs-asian-elephant.html#size), [Range and habitat](https://tuskwise.com/african-vs-asian-elephant.html#range), [Status and population](https://tuskwise.com/african-vs-asian-elephant.html#status)
- [Is this elephant sanctuary ethical? Checklist](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html): practical checklist for judging any captive elephant venue (riding, bathing, performing, bullhooks, chaining, breeding, trade, contact, transparency) based on World Animal Protection, ABTA and GFAS standards; no venues are named
  - Sections: [Quick test](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#quick-test), [Riding](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#riding), [Bathing and washing](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#bathing), [Shows and performing](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#performing), [Bullhooks and training](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#bullhooks), [Chaining and living space](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#chaining), [Breeding](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#breeding), [Buying, selling and renting elephants](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#trade), [Contact, feeding and photos](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#contact), [Transparency](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#transparency), [How to vet a venue before booking](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#vetting), [Printable checklist](https://tuskwise.com/elephant-sanctuary-checklist.html#printable)

## Guides
- [African forest elephant](https://tuskwise.com/african-forest-elephant.html): Central and West Africa's rainforest elephant: features, fruit diet and seed dispersal, 2024 population estimate, Critically Endangered status
- [African savanna elephant](https://tuskwise.com/african-savanna-elephant.html): the largest land animal: size, habitats, diet, family life, lifespan and Endangered status
- [Elephant anatomy](https://tuskwise.com/anatomy.html): trunk, tusks, molars, ears, skin, legs, feet and brain explained with sources
  - Sections: [Trunk](https://tuskwise.com/anatomy.html#trunk), [Tusks](https://tuskwise.com/anatomy.html#tusks), [Teeth](https://tuskwise.com/anatomy.html#teeth), [Ears](https://tuskwise.com/anatomy.html#ears), [Skin](https://tuskwise.com/anatomy.html#skin), [Legs and feet](https://tuskwise.com/anatomy.html#feet), [Brain](https://tuskwise.com/anatomy.html#brain)
- [Asian elephant](https://tuskwise.com/asian-elephant.html): features, tusks and tushes, 13 range countries, diet, family life, population estimates (including India's 2025 DNA based count) and Endangered status
- [Elephant behavior and social life](https://tuskwise.com/behavior.html): matriarch led families, bulls and musth, calves, infrasound rumbles, seismic signals, name like calls, sleep and responses to the dead
  - Sections: [Family groups](https://tuskwise.com/behavior.html#family), [Bulls and musth](https://tuskwise.com/behavior.html#bulls), [Calves](https://tuskwise.com/behavior.html#calves), [Communication](https://tuskwise.com/behavior.html#communication), [Sleep](https://tuskwise.com/behavior.html#sleep), [Death](https://tuskwise.com/behavior.html#death)
- [Elephant conservation](https://tuskwise.com/conservation.html): IUCN status, latest population estimates, poaching and ivory trade, habitat loss, human elephant conflict, CITES and what helps
  - Sections: [Status](https://tuskwise.com/conservation.html#status), [Numbers](https://tuskwise.com/conservation.html#numbers), [Poaching](https://tuskwise.com/conservation.html#poaching), [Habitat loss](https://tuskwise.com/conservation.html#habitat), [Conflict](https://tuskwise.com/conservation.html#conflict), [Captivity and tourism](https://tuskwise.com/conservation.html#captivity), [What helps](https://tuskwise.com/conservation.html#helps)
- [Where to see elephants ethically](https://tuskwise.com/ethical-viewing.html): wild viewing in national parks, how to judge a true sanctuary, red flags (rides, shows, bathing, chains), and safety around wild elephants
  - Sections: [In the wild](https://tuskwise.com/ethical-viewing.html#wild), [Places known for elephants](https://tuskwise.com/ethical-viewing.html#places), [Sanctuaries](https://tuskwise.com/ethical-viewing.html#sanctuaries), [Red flags](https://tuskwise.com/ethical-viewing.html#red-flags), [Safety](https://tuskwise.com/ethical-viewing.html#safety)
- [Elephant FAQ and myths](https://tuskwise.com/faq.html): quick sourced answers to common elephant questions and myths
- [Elephant glossary](https://tuskwise.com/glossary.html): plain English definitions of elephant terms
- [Elephant habitats, range and diet](https://tuskwise.com/habitats.html): habitats and range of each species, daily food and water needs, home ranges, mineral licks and range loss
  - Sections: [Savanna elephant habitat](https://tuskwise.com/habitats.html#savanna), [Forest elephant habitat](https://tuskwise.com/habitats.html#forest), [Asian elephant habitat](https://tuskwise.com/habitats.html#asian), [Diet](https://tuskwise.com/habitats.html#diet), [Water](https://tuskwise.com/habitats.html#water), [Shrinking range](https://tuskwise.com/habitats.html#range-loss)
- [Elephant intelligence and memory](https://tuskwise.com/intelligence.html): evidence on elephant cognition: mirror self recognition, cooperation, tool use, name like calls, voice discrimination, memory and its limits

## Classroom
- [Elephant adaptations worksheet](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/elephant-adaptations-worksheet.html): printable adaptations worksheet matching elephant structures to their functions, with a writing prompt and answer key
- [Elephant anatomy label the diagram worksheet](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/elephant-anatomy-worksheet.html): printable label the diagram worksheet with an original elephant line drawing, word bank and answer key
- [Elephant quiz with answer key](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/elephant-quiz.html): ten question elephant quiz with a printable answer key; every answer is sourced on TuskWise
- [Elephant species fact sheet](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/elephant-species-fact-sheet.html): printable one page fact sheet comparing the three living elephant species
- [Elephant worksheets and lesson plans](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/): free print friendly elephant worksheets, NGSS tagged lesson ideas for K to 12, a quiz with an answer key and a vocabulary list
  - Sections: [Printables](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/#printables), [Lesson ideas](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/#lessons), [Quiz](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/#quiz), [Vocabulary](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/#vocabulary), [Classroom games](https://tuskwise.com/teachers/#games)
- [Research papers for students and researchers](https://tuskwise.com/research/): 23 peer reviewed elephant studies with authors, year, journal and Crossref verified DOIs, grouped by theme, each linked to the TuskWise page that uses it
  - Sections: [Species and evolution](https://tuskwise.com/research/#species-and-evolution), [Memory, families and leadership](https://tuskwise.com/research/#memory-families-and-leadership), [Intelligence and communication](https://tuskwise.com/research/#intelligence-and-communication), [Body, brain, sleep and reproduction](https://tuskwise.com/research/#body-brain-sleep-and-reproduction), [Ecology](https://tuskwise.com/research/#ecology), [Conservation and welfare](https://tuskwise.com/research/#conservation-and-welfare)

## Blog
- [Do elephants really never forget?](https://tuskwise.com/blog/do-elephants-really-never-forget.html): what peer reviewed studies show about elephant memory (McComb 2001, 2011, 2014; Foley 2008) and its limits
- [How long are elephants pregnant?](https://tuskwise.com/blog/how-long-are-elephants-pregnant.html): elephant gestation (about 22 months), how it is maintained (Lueders 2012), calf size, birth intervals and conservation implications
- [How many elephants are left in the world?](https://tuskwise.com/blog/how-many-elephants-are-left.html): latest published population estimates for all three species (IUCN 2016, 2020, 2024 reports; India 2025), with caveats
- [Is it ethical to ride an elephant?](https://tuskwise.com/blog/is-it-ethical-to-ride-elephants.html): welfare evidence on elephant rides (World Animal Protection 2017 survey of 2,923 elephants), why bathing is no better, and alternatives
- [Why do elephants have such big ears?](https://tuskwise.com/blog/why-do-elephants-have-big-ears.html): how elephant ears work as radiators, why African ears are larger than Asian, hearing and ear signals

## Optional
- [About TuskWise](https://tuskwise.com/about.html): who runs the site and how content is researched, sourced and corrected
- [Contact TuskWise](https://tuskwise.com/contact.html): contact form and email address
- [Disclaimer](https://tuskwise.com/disclaimer.html): accuracy, no professional relationship, ethical travel guidance and advertising disclosure
- [Privacy policy](https://tuskwise.com/privacy.html): data controller, what is collected (contact form only), hosting, analytics status and cookies
- [Terms of Use](https://tuskwise.com/terms.html): terms of use: who you contract with, no professional advice, liability and governing law
- [TuskWise blog](https://tuskwise.com/blog/): index of answer first articles