Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are the largest land mammal on the Asian continent. They inhabit dry to wet forest and grassland habitats in 13 range countries spanning from India to Southeast Asia.
Physical Traits
Asian elephants can be identified by their smaller, rounded ears. They weigh between 6,000 and 12,000 pounds and can reach 6.4m in length and 3m at the shoulder. They have a grey skin color with some patches of depigmentation, particularly on the head and ears.
Life Span
The average life span of an Asian elephant is 60 years in the wild and up to 70 years in captivity.
Habitat
Asian elephants are native to the scrub forests and rain forests of India, Nepal, and parts of Southeast Asia. They prefer areas with plenty of water sources such as rivers, lakes, swamps or marshes for bathing and drinking purposes.
Diet
Asian elephants are herbivores that feed on grasses, bamboo shoots, fruits, leaves and bark from trees. They consume up to 150 kgs of food per day!
Reproduction
Female Asian elephants reach sexual maturity at around 10-12 years old while males reach maturity at 15-17 years old. The gestation period for an Asian elephant is 22 months long after which a single calf is born weighing around 100 kgs!
Conservation Status
Asian elephants are listed as endangered species due to habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation; illegal killing for their ivory or other products; human-elephant conflict; poaching; climate change; diseases; etc. There are estimated 40-50 thousand wild Asian elephants left in the world today making conservation efforts more important than ever before!
Interesting Facts
- An adult female elephant will stay with her herd her entire life but male calves will leave when they reach sexual maturity at 15-17 years old
- Elephants have an excellent memory – they never forget a face!
- Elephants communicate through sound waves that humans cannot hear – this is called infrasound communication
- Elephants show empathy towards other animals including humans – they have been known to help injured animals including humans who have fallen into pits or wells
