Today is World Elephant Day, when we focus on these remarkable creatures and pledge to protect them. African elephants, like those shown here, are the largest living land animals, with bull elephants standing a whopping 13 feet tall at the shoulder. Their distinctive trunks and big, flapping ears make them one of the first animals every child can recognize. Adults marvel at the close family bonds they create and the way a herd rallies to protect its members, grieving when one dies. They form a strong, social community over their life span of about 60 to 75 years.