African Elephant

## Evolutionary Timeline of the African Elephant The African elephant (*Loxodonta africana*) has a rich evolutionary history spanning over 50 million years, evolving from small, semi-aquatic mammals to the largest land animals today. Key drivers include climate changes, the expansion of grasslands, and adaptations for survival in changing environments. ### Key Milestones: - **Eocene Epoch ( ~55-34 million years ago)**: Early proboscideans like *Moeritherium* emerge—small, hippo-like creatures with rudimentary trunks, adapting to wetland habitats amid warm, forested environments. - **Oligocene-Miocene Transition ( ~34-5 million years ago)**: Ancestors such as *Phiomia* and *Gomphotherium* develop longer trunks and tusks; grassland expansion due to cooling climates pressures larger body sizes for foraging efficiency. - **Pliocene Epoch ( ~5-2.6 million years ago)**: *Primelephas*, a direct ancestor, appears in Africa; divergence of modern elephant lineages, with enhanced molars for grinding tough vegetation amid savanna proliferation. - **Pleistocene Epoch ( ~2.6 million years ago - 11,700 years ago)**: Genus *Loxodonta* solidifies; ice ages and human pressures lead to extinctions of related species, refining social behaviors and intelligence for survival. - **Holocene to Present**: Modern African elephants adapt to human-dominated landscapes, facing ongoing threats like habitat loss and poaching.