Elephant Facts and FAQs
Facts and answers to frequently-asked questions about Asia's largest land mammal.
Frequently Asked Questions

How many species of elephants are there?
Asian elephants are the sole surviving members of their genus, Elephas, and are classified as a single species whereas there are two living species of African elephants: the African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) and the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis).

Did you know...
The Asian and African elephants are thought to have diverged around 6 million years ago.
That is comparable to (and possibly even longer than) the span of time that separates leopards, tigers, and lions from their common ancestor!
Cladogram, family tree, elephant evolution, elephant relatedness.
Divergence among the elephant species is comparable to that of the big cats.

How many species of Asian elephants are there / How many subspecies of Asian elephants are there?
All Asian elephants are classified as a single species. However, there are 2 recognized subspecies and possibly a third.
  • The most populous subspecies is correctly known as Elephas maximus maximus though sometimes referred to as Elephas maximus indicus, and it is found on the mainland as well as Sri Lanka.
  • The subspecies unique to the Indonesian island of Sumatra is classified as E. m. sumatranus.
  • The elephant population that exists in Borneo is not formally recognized as its own subspecies, but most specialists classify them as E. m. borneensis on the basis of its genetics and seemingly long isolation from other elephant populations.
More about subspecies »
Asian elephant subspecies.
The subspecies of Asian elephants. Click to enlarge.

What's the difference between Asian and African elephants?
Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are smaller than African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) and have many physical as well as behavioral differences.
The three living species of elephants: African savannah elephant, African forest elephant and Asian elephant.
Do you know which is which? A) African savannah elephant (female). B) African forest elephant. C) Asian elephant (male).
Physical differences
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  • ​The ears of Asian elephants are smaller, triangular, and flexible rather than stiff.
  • The back is either straight or arched so that the crown of the head is the highest point of the body. The trunk tip has just one 'finger' rather than two.
  • African elephants have greyish skin with lots of wrinkles. Asian elephants have smoother skin, are black when washed clean, and sometimes naturally have areas of pink known as "depigmentation" around the eyes, ears, neck and trunk.
  • Baby  Asian elephants tend to be a lot hairier than African elephants!
  • One of the most significant differences is that unlike African elephants, in which both sexes typically have tusks, female Asian elephants do not have tusks. Males may or may not exhibit tusks; those that do are referred to as tuskers. Both sexes can instead have miniaturized incisors, which are referred to as 'tushes' which they use to peel bark off trees. This difference is very consequential for conservation.
Female Asian elephant charging in defense of her group. Copyright S. de Silva, all rights reserved.
Female Asian elephant "charging" in defense of her group. Photo: UWERP.
Behavioral differences

Among both Asian and African elephants, adolescent and adult males are live socially apart from females and calves (often referred to as "herds" which are actually families composed of related females, known as 'matrilines'). There are several differences however.​​
More about Asian elephant behavior »
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  • African savannah elephant families are usually tightly-knit, moving together most of the time. Asian elephant families are much more loosely connected, fragmentary and variable among individuals. Learn more »
  • Female African savannah elephants have very firm dominance hierarchies, in which older, bigger individuals dominate younger individuals. Older females, who may defend the group and make important decisions, are known as 'matriarchs'. As a consequence of their social fluidity, Asian elephants do not exhibit clear dominance hierarchies. As a consequence there is also often no clear 'matriarch' or leader; different individuals may exhibit leadership at various times. Learn more »
  • African savannah elephants may periodically gather in very large aggregations, often during wet seasons, when food and water are plentiful. Asian elephants sometimes form large aggregations, but in dry seasons, around limited resources such as fresh water and green vegetation. Learn more »
Large dry-season gathering of Asian elephants at a man-made reservoir.
Large dry-season gathering of Asian elephants at a man-made reservoir.
Large wet-season aggregation of African savannah elephants in a protected reserve.
Large wet-season aggregation of African savannah elephants in a protected reserve.
  • ​Asian elephants produce high-frequency vocalizations known as 'chirps' or 'squeaks' and 'squeals' that African elephants do not. Asian and Africans also differ in the combinations of vocalizations they produce, which appear to vary from location to location. Male African savannah elephants produce a call known as a "musth rumble" and females produce an analogous "estrous rumble" whereas Asian elephants produce neither. Learn more »
  • African savannah elephants put on showy, noisy displays upon mating, known as 'mating pandemonium,' [ learn more » ] as well as when playing [ learn more » ]. Asian elephants are more cryptic and do not put on such displays.
  • Both Asian and African elephants have the capacity to imitate sounds they hear. But so far, only an Asian elephant has demonstrated the ability to imitate human speech. Learn more »
Listen to Asian elephant squeaks and squeals.
Conservation Differences
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  • Asian elephants are classified as "Endangered" under the IUCN Red List, with a population size of 40-50,000. African elephants of both species are together classified as "Vulnerable" under the IUCN Red List, with a combined population estimated at over 450,000 individuals.
  • Both Asian and African elephants face the threats of habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, and hunting. While hunting for ivory has historically been a grave threat for both species, it is more severe for African elephants because both sexes carry tusks. In Asian elephants, the ivory trade and other selective removal of tusked males (e.g. for use in captive work, processions, as status symbols etc.) has resulted to females severely outnumbering males in some populations. This is referred to as skew in sex-ratios. But because females as well as some fraction of males are tuskless, the removal of tusked bulls alone is not sufficient to drive populations to extinction.
  • A far bigger concern for Asian elephants is the ongoing fragmentation and loss of habitat, which can prevent populations from accessing the food and water they need as well as contribute to increases in so-called "human-elephant conflict" [ learn more » ]. Deaths of elephants due to conflict in most parts of Asia far outweigh deaths due to poaching. Coupled with slow reproductive rates, and sometimes very small population sizes, some Asian elephant populations face demographic collapse. Learn more »
Banana tree damaged by an elephant.
Banana tree damaged by an elephant.

Did you know...
There are an estimated 450,000 African elephants but only around 45,000 Asian elephants.
This means that there are 10 times FEWER elephants in Asia than Africa.
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The greatest challenge for Asian elephants is navigating a fragmented landscape, full of people.

Where do Asian elephants live?
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Asian elephant range. Yellow areas show ancient distribution, green areas show present-day distribution. Source: Asian Elephant Specialist Group of the IUCN.
  • Asian elephants currently live in 13 countries. These are:India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia (mainland and Borneo), Indonesia, (Sumatra and Borneo), Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Cambodia, China, Bhutan, Vietnam, Nepal, Bangladesh.
  • Asian elephants occupy many different types of habitats, ranging from open grasslands to dense rainforests and therefore represent many different ecosystems and the biodiversity within them. Watch Elephant Ecosystems video »
Asian elephant ecology »
Status and threats »

What is the gestation period of an elephant?
  • The gestation period of an elephant, whether Asian or African, is approximately 20-22 months.
  • Newborn baby elephants still look pink on the tips of their ears, under their chins, tummies and between the limbs. They are easily sunburned, and so stay in the shade of their mothers.
  • Because baby elephants are dependent on milk for at least 2-3 more years (though they would nurse even longer if allowed!), females can only give birth once in three years. A birth interval of 4 years is optimal for healthy mothers and calves, but in the wild elephants may have a calf only once in six years - or even longer! This slow reproduction makes elephants especially vulnerable to over-hunting or environmental degradation. Learn more »
Adopt a baby elephant and support conservation  »

What is a baby elephant called?
What is a female elephant called?
What is a male elephant called?

A baby elephant is called a "calf", a female is called a "cow" and a male is called a "bull" just as with cattle. But the similarities end there!
More about elephant moms and babies »
Pink elephant. Elephant foetus in womb.
This amazing computer-reconstruction of an elephant foetus was created for the documentary Animals In the Womb.

Did you know...
Baby elephants are rather accident-prone and quite a handful to keep an eye on.
When they are a few months old, they often spend time with other youngsters or are looked after by other young females with no calves of their own, coming up to their mothers only to nurse.

What is the best way to see Asian elephants?
  • Ideally, Asian elephants should be viewed in the wild with responsible tour operators that have high standards of safety. Rather than spontaneously choosing a roadside guide, do your homework - read reviews and look for companies and individuals who have a record of behaving respectfully toward people and wildlife. This way you will reward good behavior, discourage bad actors and have the best possible experience with Asian elephants.
  • If travelling in an Asian country with many facilities offering experiences with captive elephants, opt for those that:
            - DO NOT offer performances and entertainment by animals;
            - DO NOT allow direct contact between people and elephants (including bathing and feeding);
            - DO maintain a clear separation between elephants and people, allow animals to behave naturally, and be seen at a distance.
  • Under no circumstances should you "buy and release" animals.
  • Remember that what may seem a life-changing experience for you should not undermine the well-being of this endangered species.
Asian elephant safari.
Asian elephants are best viewed in the wild.
More resources on responsible travel and ethical elephant experiences »

What role do captive elephants play in conservation?
Can captive breeding rescue endangered elephant populations or provide "insurance" against extinction?

These are very emotive and political issues. One of the main things to bear in mind is that captive elephants in elephant range countries (i.e. countries where wild elephants are native) are categorically different from captive elephants living outside their native range (i.e. zoos, retirement facilities; often referred to as ex situ). So let's look at them separately.
Captive elephants outside their native range
These are predominantly elephants in zoos, with a smaller number that originated in the entertainment industry and may now be retired. The latter play no direct role in conservation.
  • Currently there are no captive elephant populations either within or outside range countries that breed sustainably. This means that unequivocally, captive elephants cannot serve as "insurance" against extinction.
  • Elephants in zoos can potentially play an important role in public education, especially for people who may be able to travel to see a wild elephant, if the zoos take this role seriously and are responsible in their communication.
  • Given the above, only facilities that actively invest in the conservation of wild elephants (known as "in situ" efforts) can be said to be making a genuine contribution to elephant conservation.
Captive elephants within range countries
Captive elephants that are living within their native range may be found in zoos or "sanctuaries," but mostly the latter. Some may belong to temples or private owners while a relatively small number may also belong to the government or law-enforcement.
  • Those that are in temples or private hands very likely have no positive role in conservation, and the sourcing of these animals, if taken from the wild, can actually have a negative impact. It is possible that their cultural relevance may foster some positive attitudes that have some conservation benefit but there is virtually no data on this.
  • Those that are maintained as a matter of national pride and culture have a complex relationship with people. They may not contribute directly to conservation but may enhance the overall ability to conserve wild elephants by fostering positive attitudes among the local population. Unfortunately, data on this is also lacking and is an interesting matter for further study.
  • Those that are used by law enforcement (e.g. anti-poaching) arguably the most direct positive impact on conservation.
  • Those that are maintained primarily for tourism etc. have little conservation benefit. It is possible that they provide life-changing experiences for the visitors that then later become advocates or supporters of conservation, but there is little evidence of this. Given the problem that captive populations are not self-sustaining even with breeding, how animals are sourced remains a potential conservation threat.
  • Rehabilitation centers, where there is no contact between visitors and elephants, potentially offer the greatest conservation benefit. Calves that are rehabilitated and released back into the wild and go on to survive and breed represent a huge conservation success.
  • Efforts to rehabilitate and release ex-working elephants are still experimental, and are an exciting space to watch. There are a host of challenges associated with such efforts, but if successful, they might have some chance of rescuing small, threatened populations. It is important that these efforts are genuine, backed by scientific and veterinary knowledge, rather than gimmicks for profit.
Asian Elephants at Smithsonian National Zoo
Asian elephants at Smithsonian's National Zoo. The Smithsonian has long been involved in research and conservation both on captive and wild elephants. Researchers from the Smithsonian were among the first to describe the natural behavior and ecology of wild Asian elephants, and continue to provide valuable data for evidence-based conservation efforts. Photo: Smithsonian Institution.
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The Center of Elephant and Wildlife Research by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University. Veterinarians and researchers here have been exploring how captive elephants could eventually be returned to the wild. Photo: Center for Elephant and Wildlife Research.
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