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.

African Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

African Savanna Elephants are the largest terrestrial animals in the world. They are also known as the African bush elephant. Male elephants stand up to 13 feet tall and weigh up to 23,000 pounds. They have large ears and a versatile trunk; their skin is wrinkled and grey-brown. 

These giant herbivores consume almost 330 pounds of food daily throughout various environments across sub-Saharan Africa.

The oldest female in a herd usually leads the group, acting as the matriarch to ensure the safety and well-being of the herd. Moreover, these African elephants engage in practical, fun activities like mud-bathing, protecting themselves from the sun, and keeping parasites away.

African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis)

African Forest Elephants live in the dense forests of West and Central Africa. While they live on the same continent, they are a separate species from the savanna elephant. They typically grow up to 9.8 feet tall and weigh up to 15,400 pounds. They also have round heads and straight tusks. 

It mostly eats leaves, tree bark, and a variety of fruits. These types of elephants are the most frugivorous among the elephant species. They defecate the seeds as they travel long distances, making them mega gardeners of the forest.

However, this smaller African Elephant faces rampant deforestation and relentless poaching driven by the global demand for ivory. Their slow reproduction rate makes their survival even more challenging.

Studying them is challenging for scientists since these elephants are shy and tend to gather in smaller family units. Moreover, their habitats are relatively inaccessible.

Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)

Asian Elephants inhabit various habitats ranging from India and Nepal to Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, and Malaysia. 

They are smaller than their African counterparts, standing at 9 feet and weighing 8,800 pounds on average. Their heads have two humps and small, rounded ears. 

Only male Asian elephants have long tusks, while females have small ones called tushes. However, some may never grow tusks, depending on their genetic makeup. These megaherbivores consume up to 330 pounds of vegetation daily, including grass, leaves, shoots, barks, fruits, nuts, and seeds.

Sri Lankan Elephant (Elephas maximus maximus)

The Sri Lankan elephant is the largest Asian elephant species. They can grow up to 11.5 feet tall and up to 12,100 pounds. They have a darker skin tone and unique patches of depigmentation on their ears, face, trunk, and belly. 

This elephant inhabits the dry zones of Sri Lanka and feeds on grasses, leaves, stems, and bark, consuming up to 150 kg of food daily. They are social animals whose herds typically consist of 12-20 individuals, led by the oldest female.

Elephants hold centuries-long significance in Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamil cultures, featuring prominently in heraldic symbols, coats of arms, and flags. Integral to religious processions, Buddhist and Hindu temples have often kept their own elephants, indicating a deep-rooted human-elephant co-existence.

Unfortunately, Sri Lankan elephants face threats from human encroachment2, land mines, and occasional ivory poaching. With high elephant mortality rates, an annual average of 370 deaths were recorded in recent years.

Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus)

Indian elephants can grow up to 9.8 feet and weigh 11,000 pounds. They are darker than the previous subspecies, with some lighter on their skin.

The Indian elephant holds significant symbolic stature throughout Asia, particularly in India, Thailand, and Laos. Revered in various religious traditions, they're often seen as deities symbolizing strength and wisdom. They serve as national animals in Thailand and Laos and as a national heritage animal in India.

Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus)

The Sumatran Elephant lives in the lush rainforests of Sumatra. They can reach up to 10.5 feet and 8,800 pounds. Their skin is lighter than the two previous subspecies and has the least depigmentation.

Borneo Pygmy Elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis)

Borneo Pygmy Elephants are the smallest subspecies of Asian elephants, standing up to 9.8 feet. They live in Southeast Asia's rainforests, particularly on Borneo Island. These elephants have rounder faces, oversized ears, and a tail that often brush the forest floor.