Information On Elephants Page 1

It is the largest land animal. A male weighs 11,000 - 13,200 lb and stands 9’ 11”-11’; a female weighs 6600 to 7700 lb, height 8’ 4”.  Elephants live in groups of up to fifty, and are very social and active.  An average animal lives 60 to 80 years. They are presumed to have their origins on the plains of Northern Africa about 55 million years ago. There are two species of elephants: African and Asian.

AFRICAN ELEPHANT (Loxodonta Africana): sub species - Bush Elephant, Forest Elephants 

Both sub species have bigger ears, larger tusks, and are taller than the Asian variety.  Male and females have tusks.  Their backs curve down in middle, and foreheads are flat and sloping.  African elephants are gray to gray-brown, with rough wrinkled skin texture.   They have two trunk fngers (dorsal and ventral extensions of tip).

ASIAN ELEPHANT (Elephas maximus): Sub species – Indian, Sri Lankan, Sumatran Elephants

All three sub species posess smaller ears, and are shorter and wider in stature than the African variety. Males have tusks, but females either have no tusks "tushes"(small, short tusk-like teeth).  Their backs curve up in middle, and their foreheads have 2 prominent "bumps".  Skin color is gray and sometimes freckled.  Asian Elephants have thicker trunks and larger toenails. They only have one trunk finger (top of tip).

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