Search results
Cladistically included but traditionally excluded taxa. † Mammuthus Brookes, 1828. Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ( Loxodonta africana ), the African forest elephant ( L. cyclotis ), and the Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ).
The African Savanna (Bush) elephant is the world's largest land animal – with adult males, or bull elephants, standing up to 3m high and weighing up to 6,000kg on average. Males only reach their full size at 35-40 years - that’s well over half their lifespan as wild elephants can live for up to 60-70 years.
The African savanna elephant is the largest elephant species, while the Asian forest elephant and the African forest elephant are of a comparable, smaller size. Asian elephants differ in several ways from their African relatives, with more than 10 distinct physical differences between them.
Learn more about the world's largest land mammals, including what they weigh, if they are dangerous and how good their memory is.
What is the African elephant? African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. They are slightly larger than their Asian cousins and can be identified by their larger ears that look ...
Learn about the Indian elephant, as well as the threats it faces, what WWF is doing to conserve its future, and how you can help. Skip to Main Content WWF Toggle Nav Donate
Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) The Asian elephant is an endangered species considered to be a single species, Elephas maximus, with four extant subspecies: E.m. hirsute (Malayan elephant), E.m. indicus (Indian elephant), E.m.maximus (Sri Lankan elephant), and E.m. sumatranus (Sumatran elephant). Predominantly due to the pressures of habitat ...
