The Two Species of Elephants & Their Differences

The two species of elephants are the Asian and the African elephants. There are distinctive differences between the two, which are highlighted below:

The African elephant is termed scientifically as Loxodonta africana and weighs between 4,000 and 7,000 kilograms. At shoulder height, the elephant can stand anywhere between 3 and 4 metres tall. Its skin has a more wrinkled appearance than that of the Asian elephant. It also has 21 pairs of ribs and its highest point is at the shoulder. The African elephant is easily recognised by its ears, which fan out in a distinctive shape over its shoulders and neck.

The shape of the African elephant's back is concave and the shape of its belly runs diagonally downwards towards its hind legs. The shape of its head is flattened on top, not crumpled and shows no visible humps or dents. The profile of the African elephant's molars are diamond shaped and the tusks are prevalent in both sexes, but larger in the males. The lower lip is short and round, the trunk more ringed and softer, and the trunk end has two fingers.

The Asian elephant weighs between 3,000 and 6,000kg and stands at a height of 2 - 3.5 metres. It has 20 pairs of ribs and has its highest point on the back, which is usually convex or straight. Its ears are much smaller than the African variety and the belly is either straight or sags slightly in the middle.

The head has a more crumpled appearance with a dent in the middle of the scull. The lower lip is long and tapered and the trunk has less rings and is harder, ending in one finger instead of two like African elephants. An interesting fact is that the two species cannot be interbred because of their vast genetic differences.

Find out more about Asian Elephants, including the Asian Elephant's endangered status.

Fun Facts For Elephant Lovers

Elephants are the largest land mammals in the world today. They can reach a height of 13 feet and can weigh an astonishing 15,000 pounds, that's just about the same weight or more of an average school bus! The average lifespan of an elephant is 60 - 70 years old. African and Asian elephants are the only 2 surviving species. The two different species resemble each other from a distance but up close they are very different. You can easily see the difference in the size of the ears. African elephants have ears that can reach up and over their heads. The Asian elephant ears are much smaller and do not reach over the head. African elephants are also much larger in size and weigh more than the Asian elephant. Elephants do not have enemies because predators can easily be crushed by the mammals large size. Unfortunately, their little ones are usually the ones that get attacked by lions, hyenas, and tigers.

The elephant is usually known for its large trunk and huge ears. The trunk represents the nose and upper lip. The trunk alone contains 100,000 different muscles. It serves as a nose. hand, and more. It can pull a bark off a tree or even pick up small objects. like a coin for instance. The coin can be easily picked because the large mammal has two lobes on the tip of its trunk that act like fingers. The trunk can also be used as a snorkel inside the water or as a sign of affection amongst other elephants. The ears, on the other hand, are about five to six feet long and four feet wide. The ears are not meant for flying like Disney's Dumbo but can actually help radiate heat away from the body and keep the elephant cool.

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Lebih banyak prasarana akan bangunkan

Secara ringkas, Pusat Konservasi Gajah Kebangsaan sedang dalam proses penambahbaikan kemudahan untuk gajah dan pelawat. Ini berikutan bilangan pelawat yang semakin meningkat. Lebih banyak aktiviti pelawat juga akan disediakan. Pemandu pelancong yang terdiri dari warga tempatan juga telah mula beroperasi.