Animal Profiles
Mammals

Asian Elephant

Elephas maximus

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

The Asian elephant is a large herbivore native to southern and southeastern Asia. Its trunk combines breathing, smelling, touching and food handling.

Elephas maximus

Yathin S Krishnappa · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Location
South and Southeast Asian forests, grasslands and connected landscapes.
Habitat
Rainforest, Grassland, Temperate forest
Diet
Herbivore
Food
Grasses, leaves, bark and other vegetation.

Classification

Common name
Asian Elephant
Browse group
Mammals
Scientific name or taxon
Elephas maximus
Taxon rank
species
Order
Proboscidea
Family
Elephantidae
Genus
Elephas
Source classification
Mammalia

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Measurements

Size and speed

Weight
2 to 6 t adult range in the cited account

Typical adult ranges. Source: Animal Diversity Web.

Three things to know

  • The trunk handles food and other objects.
  • The diet includes many kinds of plants.
  • Visible tusks vary between individuals and populations.

Habitat and range

South and Southeast Asian forests, grasslands and connected landscapes.

Appearance and adaptations

A muscular trunk extends from the face. Ears are smaller than those of African elephants, and visible tusks vary with sex and population.

Diet and behaviour

Elephants spend much of their time finding plant food and water. Female relatives commonly associate in groups, while adult males have different social patterns.

Sources

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