{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "asian-elephant",
  "name": "Asian Elephant",
  "scientificName": "Elephas maximus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The Asian elephant is the largest land animal in Asia, weighing up to 5,500 kg (12,000 lb) with smaller ears than African elephants and a single 'finger' on the trunk tip. Highly social and intelligent, wild populations are Endangered from habitat loss and human conflict.",
  "conservationStatus": "Endangered",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Proboscidea",
    "family": "Elephantidae",
    "genus": "Elephas"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 4000,
    "lengthM": 6.5,
    "topSpeedKmh": 40,
    "lifespanYears": 65
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Elephas maximus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore — grasses, bark, roots, fruit, and crops"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Tropical forests and grasslands across South and Southeast Asia"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "60–70 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "Females 2,700 kg; males up to 5,500 kg"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 40 km/h (25 mph) in charge"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Endangered (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Fragmented populations in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China.",
    "continents": [
      "Asia"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Elephas maximus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Elephas%20maximus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Elephas maximus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Elephas_maximus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Asian Elephant.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_elephant"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/asian-elephant/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/asian-elephant/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}