Asian elephants and African elephants are two distinct species, with differences mainly in their physical characteristics and habitat.
Size: The Asian Elephant is smaller than its African ones. Adult Asian elephants can reach 3.5m, whereas the Adults African elephant can reach 4+m.
Weight: African elephants can weigh between 4 to 7 tonnes, while Asian elephants usually weigh between 3 to 5 tonnes.
Tusks: Both male and female African elephants have generally much larger tusks. They are on average about 2m and 23 kg each ! For Asian elephants, only some males have visible tusks and, in some cases, females might have small ones.
Ears: The ears are the most sensitive part of the Elephant. African elephants have larger fan-shaped ears, whereas Asian elephants have smaller round-shaped ears. Some say the African elephants ears look like the African continent and the Asian elephant ears look like India.
Feet and toenails: Asian elephants have 5 toenails on the front feet and 4 on the back feet, when the African elephant has 4 in the front and 3 in the back.
Trunk: The African elephants have two finger-like extensions at the tip of the trunk, which allows them to better pick small food. The Asian elephant has only one finger and relies more on wrapping around a food item.
Habitat: African Elephants are found in a wider range of habitats in Africa, including savannas, forests, deserts and marshes. Asian Elephants inhabit a variety of forested habitats in Asia, including grasslands, scrublands, and rainforests, where they find ample food and water. This partially explains their skin difference for example.
Skin: Asian elephants have smoother and thinner skin, because they live in more protected / covered spaces. African elephants’ skin is far more wrinkled, thick and rough, since they live in open areas. The colour is also different, with the Asian being more brownish and African being more grey.
