Attribute | Male | Female |
---|---|---|
Body Weight | About 3,600 kg (7,900 lb), on average (up to 6,000 kg, or 13,000 lb) | About 2,700 kg (6,000 lb), on average (up to 4,200 kg, or 9,000 lb) |
Head–body Length | 5.5–6.4 m (18–21 ft) | same as males |
Tail Length | 1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft) | same as males |
Shoulder Height* | 2.7 m (8.9 ft), on average (up to 3.4 m, or 11 ft) | 2.4 m (7.9 ft), on average (can reach over 2.5 m, or 8.2 ft) |
Note: Most of these measurements are based on elephant populations in India, which are larger than individuals that occur farther east. Elephants living in Borneo are considerably smaller (Shoshani and Eisenberg 1982; Wittemyer 2011).
*Population in western Nepal may get slightly taller (Lister and Blashford-Snell 2000, Nowak 2018).
Other sources: Benedict (1936)
(e.g., Shoshani and Eisenberg 1982; Nowak 2018)
Close-up of an Asian elephant's head.
Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.
Asian Elephant (left) has smaller ears than an African savannah elephant (right).
Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.
Texture of an Asian elephant's skin.
Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.
An Asian elephant's sturdy legs and feet support its huge body.
Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.
Alter (2004)
Fowler & Makata (2006)
Hutchinson et al. (2006)
Manoussaki el al. (2007)
Mariappa (1986)
Shosani (1992)
Shoshani & Eisenberg (1982)
Sukumar (1989)
Yokoyama et al. (2005)