# African Elephant (*Loxodonta africana*)

> The African elephant is the largest living land animal, weighing up to 6,000 kg (13,200 lb) and standing up to 4 m (13 ft) at the shoulder. They are highly intelligent, deeply social, and use their trunks for breathing, drinking, grasping, and communication. Wild elephants can live 60 to 70 years.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Endangered
- **Range:** The savannas, forests, and desert edges of sub-Saharan Africa.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/elephant/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Proboscidea
- **Family:** Elephantidae
- **Genus:** Loxodonta

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Loxodonta africana |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Habitat | Savanna, forest, desert edge |
| Lifespan | 60–70 years in the wild |
| Weight | 2,700–6,000 kg (6,000–13,200 lb) |
| Height | Up to 4 m (13 ft) at the shoulder |
| Conservation status | Endangered (IUCN) |

## Intelligence and social life

Elephants live in tight matriarchal herds led by the oldest, most experienced female. They show empathy, cooperation, problem-solving, and apparent grief, returning to and touching the bones of dead relatives. Their large brains support remarkable long-term memory.

## Diet

Elephants are herbivores that eat grasses, leaves, bark, roots, and fruit. An adult can consume up to 150 kg (330 lb) of vegetation and drink up to 190 liters (50 gallons) of water in a single day, spending up to 16 hours feeding.

## The trunk and tusks

An elephant's trunk contains around 40,000 muscles and is used for breathing, smelling, drinking, grasping food, and social touch. Tusks are elongated incisor teeth used for digging, stripping bark, and defense, but they also make elephants a target for the ivory trade.

## Conservation

African savanna elephants are Endangered and forest elephants are Critically Endangered, largely because of poaching for ivory and habitat fragmentation. As a keystone species, elephants shape entire ecosystems by clearing trees, spreading seeds, and digging waterholes.

## Intelligence and memory

Elephants have the largest brain of any land animal and show remarkable intelligence, including problem-solving, tool use, and self-recognition in mirrors. They display apparent grief, returning to and touching the bones of dead herd members, and can remember distant water sources and individual animals over many years.

## Herd structure

Elephant herds are matriarchal, led by the oldest and most experienced female, who guides the group to food and water. Adult males usually leave the herd as they mature and live alone or in loose bachelor groups, rejoining females mainly to breed.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does an elephant eat?

Elephants are herbivores that can eat up to 150 kg (330 lb) of vegetation and drink up to 190 liters of water in a single day.

### What is the difference between African and Asian elephants?

African elephants are larger, with bigger ears, and both sexes usually have tusks. Asian elephants are smaller with smaller ears, and many individuals lack visible tusks.

### What is the largest land animal?

The African elephant is the largest land animal on Earth. Large males can weigh up to 6,000 kg (13,200 lb) and stand up to 4 m (13 ft) tall at the shoulder.

### What do elephants eat?

Elephants are herbivores that eat grasses, leaves, bark, roots, and fruit. An adult may eat up to 150 kg of plant matter and drink up to 190 liters of water each day.

### How long do elephants live?

Wild elephants typically live 60 to 70 years, making them one of the longest-lived land mammals. Lifespan in captivity is often shorter.

### Why are elephants endangered?

Elephants are endangered mainly because of poaching for ivory and the loss and fragmentation of their habitat. African forest elephants are now classified as Critically Endangered.

### How many muscles are in an elephant's trunk?

An elephant's trunk contains an estimated 40,000 muscles, giving it the dexterity to pick up a single blade of grass or carry hundreds of kilograms.

### Do elephants really have good memories?

Yes. Elephants have excellent long-term memory, which helps matriarchs remember distant water sources during droughts and recognize individuals after years apart.

## Sources

- [Gobush, K. S. et al. (2021). Loxodonta africana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/181008073/223031019)
- Sukumar, R. (2003). The Living Elephants: Evolutionary Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation. Oxford University Press.
- Moss, C. (1988). Elephant Memories: Thirteen Years in the Life of an Elephant Family. William Morrow.
- Payne, K. B. et al. (1986). Infrasonic calls of the Asian elephant. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/elephant/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.