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Loxodonta africana

The African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the larger of the two species of African elephants. Both it and the African Forest Elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African Elephant. Some authorities still consider the currently available evidence insufficient for splitting the African Elephant into two species. It is also known as the Bush Elephant or Savanna Elephant.

African elephants have a grey folded and up to 30 mm thick skin that is covered with sparse bristled dark-brown to black hair. Their large ears help to reduce body heat; flapping them creates air currents and exposes the ears' inner sides where large blood vessels increase heat loss during hot weather. Both male and female African elephants have tusks that grow from deciduous teeth called tushes, which are replaced by tusks when calves are about one year old.

  2000-6000 kg

Weight

  220-400 cm

Height

  300-500 cm

Length

Approximate African elephant distribution