Elephant trunk. Close-up of the trunk of an African elephant (Loxodonta africana) 'sniffing' a tree branch. African elephants are the world's largest land animal, weighing up to 10,000 kilograms and measuring 3.5 metres in height. They are designated as a vulnerable species mainly due to poaching. Photographed in Zimanga Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.