The Asian elephant is the largest land animal on the continent of Asia. It is also one of the last few mega-herbivores - plant-eating mammals that can exceed a mass of 1,000 kg - still living today.

Asian elephants are sociable creatures that form groups led by the oldest female - the matriarch. They live in a wide variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, scrublands and cultivated lands. These elephants spend more than two-thirds of their day feeding and may consume up to 150 kg of plants per day.

With less than 50,000 individuals left in the wild, the Asian elephant is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Over 85 per cent of its habitat has been lost due to human encroachment. Tusked males also continue to be hunted for their ivory, despite international bans on illegal wildlife trade.

With your gift of $40, you will be supporting WWF-Canada's efforts to protect and restore habitat for elephants in South Asia.