Head to head
African Elephant vs Asian Elephant
The African and Asian elephants are separate genera that have been evolving apart for millions of years — the Asian elephant is actually closer to the extinct woolly mammoth than to its African cousin. They differ in size, ears, tusks, and several finer details.
| African Elephant | Asian Elephant | |
|---|---|---|
| Ears | Very large, shaped roughly like Africa | Smaller, rounded |
| Shoulder height | Up to ~4 m (bush elephant) | Up to ~3 m |
| Weight | Up to ~7 tonnes | 3–5 tonnes |
| Tusks | Both sexes usually have them | Only some males; females and many males have none |
| Trunk tip | Two finger-like projections | One finger-like projection |
| Head | Fuller, single dome | Twin-domed forehead with a central groove |
| Back | Swayed (dips in the middle) | Arched (humps up in the middle) |
| Conservation status | Endangered / Critically Endangered | Endangered (~40,000–50,000) |
African Elephant vs Asian Elephant: common questions
What is the difference between African and Asian elephants?
African elephants are larger, with much bigger ears, a dipped back, two "fingers" on the trunk tip, and tusks in both sexes. Asian elephants are smaller, with smaller rounded ears, an arched back, a twin-domed head, one finger on the trunk, and prominent tusks only in some males. They are different genera and cannot interbreed.
Which elephant is bigger?
The African bush elephant, the largest land animal alive, reaching about 4 metres at the shoulder and 7 tonnes. Asian elephants top out around 3 metres and 5 tonnes. The African forest elephant, a third species, is the smallest of the three.
Which elephant is used for work and in temples?
The Asian elephant. It has a long history of being tamed and worked in forestry and used in ceremonies across South and Southeast Asia. African elephants have only rarely been trained and are not traditionally used this way.