9.6K views · 350 reactions | Big cheers for Asali! The African Savanna elephant celebrated her 40th birthday at Memphis Zoo with a feast of tasty treats and lots of love. Here’s to many more happy years ahead! Credit: Memphis Zoo/TMX | OMG | Facebook

The African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) There are two distinct subspecies of African elephant – Savanna elephants and the smaller Forest elephants. Both subspecies are in rapid decline due to habitat loss and illegal poaching for the international ivory trade, as well as for meat. In many areas elephants are currently being poached faster than they can reproduce. This is hugely significant when we consider that female elephants only produce a single calf after a 22 month gestation period. Male