The elephants featured in this film are African. You'll notice that the Matriarch, Athena has magnificent tusks. Later in the film you'll see Satao, a bull (male) elephant, also with the biggest tusks you might ever see. One of the key differences between African and Asian elephants is the tusks. ALL African elephants, male and female, have tusks whereas only SOME Asian males have tusks. About 50% of Asian females have short tusks known as "tushes".