Asian Elephant

The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is the largest living land animal in Asia, playing an important role in maintaining forest ecosystems. 

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Key Highlights

• IUCN Status: Endangered
• Scientific Name: Elephas maximus
• Habitat: Found across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia,
  • Wet tropical evergreen forests
  • Tropical deciduous forests
  • Semi-arid thorn and scrub forests
• Subspecies: Sri Lankan, Indian, and Sumatran elephants

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Appearance

• Small, rounded ears (unlike the large ears of African elephants)
• Double-domed head with two humps
• Hump on the back
• Single finger-like projection on the trunk (used for grasping)

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Major Threats

• Habitat loss due to deforestation and urbanization
• Human-elephant conflict, leading to casualties on both sides
• Illegal wildlife trade, particularly for ivory and skin