Head to head
African Forest Elephant vs African Elephant
African Forest Elephant
VS African Elephant
The African forest elephant and the African elephant, described on our African Elephant page as the savanna elephant, were long treated as one species but are now recognised as two, differing in size, tusks, and habitat.
| African Forest Elephant | African Elephant | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Loxodonta cyclotis | Loxodonta africana |
| Size | Smaller and darker, with rounder ears | Weighs 2,700 to 6,000 kg, with large bulls over 7,000 kg, and stands 2.2 to 4 m at the shoulder |
| Tusks | Straighter and pointing downward, which suit moving through dense forest | Ivory tusks that have made it a target of heavy poaching |
| Habitat | Rainforest in the Congo Basin of Central Africa and parts of West Africa | Savannas, grasslands, and forests across 37 countries of sub-Saharan Africa |
| Diet and role | Eats large fruits and drops the seeds far from the parent tree, shaping the composition of the forest | Eats grass, bark, roots, and fruit, about 150 to 170 kg of plants a day |
| Social life | Not specifically documented | Lives in family herds of related females and calves, led by the oldest cow |
| Poaching story | Has lost more than 80 percent of its population over about three decades, mainly to ivory poaching | Was listed as Endangered after ivory poaching killed a large share of its population |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered, with a decreasing population | Endangered, with a decreasing population |
African Forest Elephant vs African Elephant: common questions
How is the forest elephant different from the savanna elephant?
The forest elephant is smaller and darker, with rounder ears and straighter, downward-pointing tusks.
Why is the forest elephant called a gardener of the forest?
It eats large fruits and drops the seeds far from the parent tree, helping to shape the composition of the forest.
Where do the forest and savanna elephants live?
The forest elephant lives in the rainforests of the Congo Basin and parts of West Africa, while the savanna elephant lives in open country across sub-Saharan Africa.