Asian Elephant

scientific name

Elephas maximus

Size

Weight. 7700 lbs. (average) " males may weigh 14300 lbs.
Height. 9'9" (average)
reach maximum size at 25 yrs. old
Note. African elephants tend to be somewhat taller than their Asian counterparts, but generally they don't outweigh them " some people define "larger" by height, while others define it by bulk

characteristics

Feet. adapted to support great weight " stand on toes arranged in circle around spongy pad which cushions each step " zoo keepers trim feet bottoms (using same tools as those used to care for horses hooves) because elephants dont wear them down as much as they would in the wild
Teeth. 4 molars (2 upper & 2 lower) " well adapted to grinding up branches " each tooth weighs ~9 lbs. " 6 sets teeth in lifetime
Teeth Structure. series of plates - front plates break off & tooth builds up from back - pushing front tooth forward & out
Trunk. role in communication, feeding, olfaction, chemo-communication, offense/defense " amazingly strong & flexible " can lift heavy logs or pluck single leaf from tree " when completely submerged in water, extends trunk above surface to breathe " touch, lift, trumpet & use to drink " sucks water part-way into trunk then squirts it into mouth " weighs ~400 lbs. " contains hundreds of (some sources say 40,000) muscles
Tusks. a long incisor - length up to 5' - weigh up to 40 lbs. " only some males have " constantly growing & wearing down
Tusk Innervation. nerve extends down tusk ~1/3 of distance from lip to tip (tusk = that portion which protrudes beyond the rim of the sulcus)
Tusk or Tush?. tushes lack innervation " tushes are smaller than tusks " most females & many males have tushes
Note. no reliable data exist for establishing that elephant can smell others 3 mi. away

population

Vietnam. 1100-1500, according to currently available population statistics
Total estimated population worldwide. 34,390-56,045 individuals

reproduction/life span

Life span. roughly comparable to human life span - 55-65 yrs. (65-70 yrs. is comparatively rare)
Sexual Maturity. males 8-12 yrs. " females 6-10 yrs. " but doesn't mean that elephants breed at these ages under wild conditions - in fact, breeding at these ages highly unlikely
Gestation. 630-660 days
Delivery/Birthing. upright position - rear-end first " height typically 32-36" (grows ~1"/mo.) " mother accompanied by other adult females ("aunties")
Infant. 200-250 lbs. " gains 2½-3 lbs. daily " nurses up to 5 yrs. (in wild) " aunties protect young

diet

herbivore

Wild. leaves, shoots, bamboo, reeds, grasses, & fruits (500 lbs. vegetation) " 50 gal water " may spend as much as 18-20 hrs daily feeding
Zoo. vary with animal, its age, etc. " typically, adult cow might eat 1 bale (100 lbs.) of timothy hay, 20-80 lbs. produce (dependent upon availability), 1 gal rolled oats, 1½ gal specially-formulated pelleted feed, 30-50 gal water, various vitamin & mineral supplements " bulls consume somewhat greater quantities of hay & grain

habitat/range

variety of terrain " thick jungle to open grassy plains " Burma, Ceylon, India, Malaya, & as far east as Vietnam " Indigenous to areas of high altitude (e.g., Nepal)

status

US Endangered " CITES App I " SSP " critically endangered " Asian elephants' situation much more precarious than African counterparts " endangered primarily because of habitat loss due to expansion of human populations " not generally, killed for sport or profit
African elephants. subject to slaughter, on reserves that are too small for their population " to their own destructive feeding habits when confined in these small areas " does not, at present, apply to Asian elephants

asian elephants

" 1 appendage at end of trunk
" smaller ears
" some males grow tusks
" rounded back

african elephants

" 2 appendages at end of trunk
" larger ears
" males and females grow tusks
" sway-back

oregon zoo exhibit

Elephants