Elephants can thrive in different habitats better than other animals. They’re usually in Asia and Africa, but they could be in the desert, the hot, dry grasslands, the rainforests, or even in the towering mountains! Elephants can also thrive in shady habitats and tropical forests. Thats a lot of places! Calves nurse from their moms for up to three years! As the the female calves grow older, they develop very vigorous relationships with the other females in the herd. Each herd has a matriarch. The matriarch usually has the most survival experience in the wild.