What is the Difference Between African Elephant and Indian Elephant?

The main differences between African and Indian (Asian) elephants can be found in their physical appearance, size, and behavior. Here are the key distinctions:

1. Ears: African elephants have much larger ears, shaped like the continent of Africa, while Asian elephants have smaller, round ears.
2. Head shape: African elephants have rounded heads, while Asian elephants have a twin-domed head with a divot line running up the head.
3. Tusks: Both male and female African elephants can have tusks, but only male Asian elephants can grow them. African savanna elephants have larger tusks that curve outward, while the tusks of the smaller African forest elephant are straighter.
4. Size: African elephants are generally larger than Asian elephants. African savanna elephants weigh up to 7,500 kg and can be between 3 and 4 meters tall, while Asian elephants weigh up to 6,000 kg and are typically 3.5 meters tall at the shoulder.
5. Skin: African elephants have more wrinkled skin than Asian elephants.
6. Ribs: African elephants usually have more pairs of ribs (up to 21) than Asian elephants (up to 20), although the number of ribs can vary in individual animals.

In addition to these physical differences, there are two distinct species of African elephants: the African bush elephant (or African savanna elephant) and the smaller African forest elephant. Both species share more features in common with each other than with their Asian counterpart.

Comparative Table: African Elephant vs Indian Elephant

Here is a table comparing the differences between African and Indian (Asian) elephants:

In summary, African and Indian elephants can be differentiated by their ears, head shape, tusks, size, lifespan, and habitat. African elephants have larger ears, rounded heads, and both male and female individuals possess tusks. In contrast, Indian elephants have smaller ears, twin-domed heads, and only some male individuals have tusks. African elephants are larger and live longer than their Indian counterparts, and they inhabit different regions of the world.