African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. They are slightly larger than their Asian cousins and can be recognized by their larger ears. Asian elephants have smaller, rounded ears. Elephant ears radiate heat to keep these large animals cool, but sometimes the African heat is too much. Elephants love water and enjoy showering by sucking water into their trunks and spraying it over themselves. Afterwards, they often coat their skin with a protective layer of dust.