Elephants, explained clearly and honestly
There are three living elephant species: the African savanna elephant, the African forest elephant and the Asian elephant. All three are threatened. The IUCN lists the savanna and Asian elephants as Endangered and the forest elephant as Critically Endangered. TuskWise explains how to tell them apart, how elephant families work, what science says about their memory and intelligence, where they live, and how to see them without harming them, with sources on every page.
Compare the three species Is this sanctuary ethical? ChecklistPlanning to visit elephants?
Use our ethical elephant sanctuary checklist before you book: nine practices to check, from riding, bathing and bullhooks to chaining, breeding and the buying or selling of elephants, based on World Animal Protection, ABTA and Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries standards. Then see where to see elephants in the wild.
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African vs Asian elephant
Side by side table: ears, tusks, trunk tips, size, range and status.
African savanna elephant
The largest land animal, from grasslands to deserts.
African forest elephant
The elusive "gardener" of Central Africa's rainforests.
Asian elephant
Thirteen range countries, from India to Borneo.
Anatomy
Trunk, tusks, ears, teeth, skin and feet.
Behavior and family life
Matriarchs, bulls, musth, rumbles and calves.
Intelligence and memory
Mirror tests, cooperation, "names" and what the studies show.
Habitats, range and diet
Where elephants live and what they eat each day.
Conservation
Status, population estimates and the main threats.
Ethical viewing
National parks, true sanctuaries and what to avoid.
Sanctuary checklist
Is this elephant sanctuary ethical? Nine checks before you book.
FAQ and myths
Quick, sourced answers to common elephant questions.
Glossary
Musth, matriarch, tush, bai, makhna and more.
Quick facts
- Elephant pregnancy lasts about 22 months, the longest of any animal (why it takes so long).
- The trunk is a fused nose and upper lip with no bones, built from about 150,000 muscle fascicles, according to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
- Tusks are elongated incisor teeth. In Asian elephants usually only males have visible tusks.
- African elephant family herds are led by a matriarch, usually the oldest female; adult males mostly live alone or in loose bachelor groups.
- Wild African elephants appear to address each other with individually specific, name like calls (Pardo and colleagues, 2024).
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How we write
Every page is original writing based on published sources: the IUCN Red List and its specialist groups, WWF, accredited zoos such as the Smithsonian's National Zoo and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and peer reviewed studies. Population numbers carry the year they come from. Read more about TuskWise.