TAXONOMY
Describer: Gray (1821)
Order: Proboscidea
Family: Elephantidae
Subfamily: Elephantinae
Subtribe: Elephantina
Genus: Elephas
Species: Elephas maximus
Subspecies: E.m maximus, E.m. Indicus,
E.m. sumatranus, E.m. borneensis
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS 
Body Weight: 2,000-5,500 kg. (4,500-12,000 lbs)
Shoulder Height: Male: 3.2 m. (10 ft.); female: 2.24 m. (8 ft.)
Trunk: One "finger" at the end
Tusks: Females tuskless; percentages of tuskless males
in populations vary widely (0 to 100%)

 

DISTRIBUTION AND STATUS
Range: Indian subcontinent, Continental Southeast Asia, and Asian islands
Habitat: Tropical & subtropical moist broadleaf forests & dry broadleaf & dry scrub forests
IUCN Status: Endangered
CITES Appendix: Appendix I
Population in Wild: 30,000-50,000
ISIS captive population
BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY
Activity Cycle: Diurnal and nocturnal; feeding & traveling to food 70-90% of the time
Social Groups: Matriarchal herds of 8-12; males solitary
Diet: Herbivorious
Predators: Humans

 

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
Sexual Maturity: Males: 14 to 15 yrs. usual; females:15 to16 for first birth
Gestation: 22 months
Litter Size: Usually 1; twins possible
Birth weight: 75-115 kg (165-254 lbs)
Age at Weaning: 18 mos.-3+ years.
Longevity: 60-70 in the wild; 80 in captivity
SPECIES HIGHLIGHTS
Feature Facts: Considered holy in Hindu and Buddhist cultures; Have ability
to hear very low frequency sounds from far-off environment
including distant thunderstorms and hoofbeats of

running animals
Society Press: First North American captive elephant born
in Philadelphia, PA in 1880.:

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