Hobbiton Anachronisms, or, Were the Hobbits ahead of their Time?

[LePetitChoux]

Today, the Hobbit, illustrated by Alan Lee arrived in the post, and I've flicked through the pages, and on the second page the words "they [Hobbits] have become rare and shy of the big People, as they call us." and "...when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants..."

Now, I'd like to ask, wasn't the closest thing to an Elephant in M-E at that time a Mûmak? So, therefore it follows that elephants wouldn't have evolved yet. Also, notice the whole thing is in the PRESENT tense, therefore implying that Hobbits are still alive. But surely an end of the world is supposed to have happened?

Or am I just being silly and nit-picking at empty words?