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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.
The African Elephant population that once showed promising signs of recovery, could be at risk due to the recent surge in poaching for the illegal ivory trade. Learn more about the African elephant, as well as the threats this species faces, what WWF is doing to protect its future, and how you can help.
Like most noses, trunks are for smelling. When an elephant drinks, it sucks as much as 2 gallons (7.5 liters) of water into its trunk at a time. Then it curls its trunk under, sticks the tip of...
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 ...
African forest elephants are smaller than African savanna elephants, the other African elephant species. Their ears are more oval-shaped and their tusks are straighter and point downward (the tusks of savanna elephants curve outwards). There are also differences in the size and shape of the skull and skeleton.
The African elephant is endangered by demand for its ivory tusks. AWF fights elephant poaching, ivory trafficking, and ivory demand to save elephants from extinction.
African savanna elephants, also known as African bush elephants, are not only the largest species of elephant on Earth, they are also the planet’s largest species of land animal. Scientists used...
Instantly recognised around the world thanks to their trunks and tusks, elephants are the world's largest land animals. African elephant males are the biggest of the bunch, weighing in at up to 6 tonnes, while smaller Asian elephants can still tip the scales at 5 tonnes.
