very
intelligent.Elephants
Not surprisingly, evidence gathered from both anatomical details, as
well as from behavioral studies, suggest that elephants are very
intelligent.
Interestingly, the growth and development of an elephant's brain is similar to that of mans. Both the elephant and man are born with small brain masses. As the mass of the brain increases, so does the learning ability of young elephants. Brain size gives a rough measure of mental flexibility--some say intelligence--and large mammalian brains are associated with complex sociality.
Behavioral studies of elephants illustrate very intelligent actions
from female elephants that are equal or surpassing those of the male
elephants. Also, the brain and consciousness of the cow is much
different than that of a bull; they are reared and interact with
their mothers in very different ways right from birth and while the
females form a very close knit bond with each other which is
constantly maintained, the males are more nomadic. While the brain of
the elephant is the largest in size among the land mammals, it
actually only occupies a small area at the back of the skull.
However, in proportion to the size of the body, the elephant brain is
smaller than the human brain. Despite this, the elephant is one of
the only animals along with all apes, sperm whales and a few other
creatures that have a large brain relative to body size. 
Elephants are normally considered to be among the most intelligent mammals, probably ranking behind dolphins and the higher primates. Groups of elephants have highly established social frameworks and sophisticated communication calls. Young animals are cared for within an extended family structure, and groups of animals will co-operate in searching out food and water when these are scarce.
An elephant's lifespan is about the same as for humans. In the wild, they normally die at about sixty years, and as with many herbivores, out of starvation. When the last (sixth) supplement of teeth are worn down, they simply can't chew. In captivity they become a bit older, because of softer food. Unfortunately only a few (20-30%) captive elephants reach this age, the other die before they become adult, because of general adjustment problems to new environments, or for physical reasons, such as stomach and hoof problems.
The elephant's skin is thick, but it still needs protection from the sun and parasites. Regular bathing and wallowing in mud provide a good coating to protect their skin.
An elephant's trunk, a union of the nose and upper lip, is a highly
sensitive organ with over 100,000 muscle units. 
The African elephant has ears that average at least three time the size of the Asian elephant. Ears are used as signaling organs in the African elephant. Ears are also used to regulate body temperature, by spreading and waving their ears, African elephants can cool their blood and consequently, their bodies. Ears are used as a protective feature in the African elephant to ward off potential threats. Each elephant's ear is unique and is used as a type of fingerprint for identification
The reason that elephants can walk so quietly is in partly due to the "elastic spongy cushion" on the bottom of the foot smothering any objects beneath it. This causes most noises (including the cracking of sticks) to be muffled. Interestingly, the structure of the foot allows an elephant to walk in deep mud without difficulty, because when it is being withdrawn the circumference becomes smaller which in turn reduces the suction.
During musth the males are very aggressive, and sexual active. There is a three weeks pre-musth-condition, about one month high musth, and one post musth condition. Their temporal glands become swollen, from where a strong smelling fluid, rich of testosterone, runs down on their cheeks. Females in a heard give passage to musth males, when a female is in heat, while they block the way for younger males, males in musth are always able to cover a female.
The reason for the musth seems to be that it prevents inbreeding. If the bulls would not be at their aggressive peak only for a month a year, only the largest, most dominant bull would cover the females all the time. In captivity, the limited space makes it dangerous to let a bull in musth condition to be housed with a female, since she may be attacked and wounded if she is not willing to mate.
Most cases of elephants killing their handlers, or reports of a "rogue" wild elephant running wild through villages and attacking people, is during musth, when they get out of control. Younger bulls usually also go into a similar condition, from about their tenth year, but not so strong, and not so long time usually, a couple of days or a week, developing stronger musth for every year, with a peak between 30 and 40, then gradually showing less symptoms.
Bulls aged over 55 seldom show musth at all. In captivity, bulls are claimed to have been in musth for over a year or longer. Asian Wild bulls often go into musth during rainy season, and when they have had abnormally good access to food, so the reason for the longer musth periods in captivity may have a connection with the short days during winters, (hormones often depend on daylight) over feeding, and under stimulation.
Rumbling is a deep, vibrating infra sound, very low, often impossible to hear for the human ear. It is used as a wide distance communication, since it carries kilometers, and it is less cut by bushes and trees. When an elephant rumbles, the forehead is vibrating, and when riding, or touching the elephant skin, one feels a strong vibration through the whole body. It is often used between elephants when they are frightened, after the trumpet signal has been given. This sound has been known by the elephant riders for a long time, but was newly discovered by western academics.
Elephants live in a variety of habitats from open savannas to dense forests. The females are very social, living in herds with a dominant cow as leader. Male elephants are usually solitary as adults and only travel with the herds for mating. The elephant's loud trumpeting helps them locate each other across the vast savanna. Elephants also communicate with low rumbling sounds, too low for humans to hear that travel for miles across the savanna.
Their Fate
The largest of the land animals, African elephants have been brought to the brink of extinction due to loss of habitat and poaching for their ivory tusks. A worldwide ban on the sale of ivory and the protection of the remaining herds in national parks and reserves in Africa hold hope for the survival of the species in the wild. In the areas where elephants have been protected, herds have grown substantially. However, since female elephants produce only one calf every five years, continued protection is essential.