Taxonomic Classification (Elephant)

Elephants are part of the family Elephantidae within the order Proboscidea. Three extant species are recognized today: African bush, African forest, and Asian elephant.

The African bush elephant is the largest, known for its ears shaped like the African continent. Meanwhile, the African forest elephant, smaller and darker, lives in dense tropical forests.

On the other side of the globe, the Asian elephant is primarily found in the forests and grasslands of the Southeast Asian region. Three recognized subspecies exist: the Indian, Sumatran, and Sri Lankan elephants.

Additionally, recent studies add a fourth subspecies, the Bornean elephant. This population, residing in northern Borneo, sets itself apart by its smaller build yet larger ears, extended tail, and straight tusks. Genetic examinations reveal their diversion from their mainland counterparts about 300,000 years ago. 

According to a 2003 study, this elephant population from Borneo shares its DNA makeup with the elephants that once roamed the Sunda Islands1. The study further suggests a prolonged separation of the Borneo elephants from Southeast Asian elephant populations since the Pleistocene era.

In the following sections, learn where each of them lives and how to distinguish them from each other easily.