Asian Elephant

Asian Elephant

Asian Elephant Facts

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Proboscidea
Family:	Elephantidae
Genus:	Elephas
Scientific Name:	Elephas Maximus
Type:	Mammal
Diet:	Herbivore
Size (H):	2m - 3m (7ft - 10ft)
Weight:	3,000kg - 5,000kg (6,500lbs - 11,000lbs)
Top Speed:	43km/h (27mph)
Life Span:	55 - 70 years
Lifestyle:	Herd
Conservation Status:	Endangered
Colour:	Grey, Brown, Black
Skin Type:	Leather
Favourite Food:	Grass
Habitat:	Rainforest and tropical woodland
Average Litter Size:	1
Main Prey:	Grass, Fruit, Roots
Predators:	Human, Tiger
Distinctive Features:	Long trunk and large feet

Asian Elephants are much smaller than the Africanelephants only growing to a couple of meters tall. Asian elephants are found in the tropical jungles of India and China, and throughout most countries in south-east Asia.

Asian elephants have been domesticated for hundreds of years for foresting and often battle. There are many places across Asia where Asian elephants are kept for tourists to ride, and are often treated fairly badly. Asian elephants are well known for their immense strength and friendliness towards humans.

Today, the Asian elephant is considered an endangered species with only around 50,000 left in the wild. This is due to the loss of habitat of the Asian elephant and illegal poachers hunting the Asian elephant, for their skins and ivory.

The Asian elephant has smaller ears than the African elephant and the Asian elephantalso has a more curved spine than the African elephant. Unlike the African elephants, the female Asian elephant very rarely have tusks, and if the female Asian elephantdoes have tusks, they are generally barely visible and can only be seen when the female Asian elephant opens her mouth.