A family of African elephants, including small calves, walking directly toward the viewer along a dirt path in a dry, bushy savanna setting under a light sky.

AfricaMammalsEndangered

African Elephant

Where African Elephants Live

Continent: Africa

Savannas, grasslands, and forests across sub-Saharan Africa, from the Sahel region south to South Africa.

The African elephant is the largest living land animal, instantly recognizable by its massive ears, long tusks, and versatile trunk. Living in tight knit, matriarch led family herds across sub-Saharan Africa, it plays a vital ecological role in shaping its habitat. Elephants are famous for their intelligence and strong social memory, with matriarchs guiding herds to food and water using decades of accumulated knowledge. Despite conservation gains, poaching for ivory has devastated populations over the past century.

The silhouette of Africa map on the white background.

Africa

Quick Facts

HeightMales up to 3 m (10 ft) at the shoulder

WeightMales up to 6,000 kg (13,200 lb)

Lifespan60 to 70 years wild

SpeedUp to 24 km/h (15 mph) running

DietGrasses, bark, roots, fruit, and leaves

Clutch1 calf per birth, gestation about 22 months, the longest of any mammal

Population icon

PopulationRoughly 415,000, down about 90% over the past century

RangeSub-Saharan Africa

Conservation Status

EXExtinct

EWExtinct in the Wild

CRCritically Endangered

ENEndangered

VUVulnerable

NTNear Threatened

LCLeast Concern

NENot Evaluated

How African Elephants Survive in the Wild

1

A Trunk Without Bones

An elephant's trunk contains no bones, only muscle, and functions as a highly sensitive tool for breathing, drinking, and grasping food.

A young African elephant calf with soft, fuzzy gray skin and oversized ears stands facing the camera, its small trunk curled playfully and wide dark eyes conveying innocent curiosity against a warm, sunlit savanna backdrop.

2

Calves Walk Within an Hour

Calves can stand within 20 minutes of birth and walk within an hour, essential for keeping pace with a moving herd.

A wide landscape photograph capturing a family of elephants, including adults and small calves, trekking through tall golden-yellow grass in a savanna setting. In the background, dense green shrubs and trees line the rolling landscape.

3

Talking Through Vibrations

Elephants communicate over long distances using low frequency seismic vibrations detected through their feet and bones.

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Social Lives of African Elephants

tectively, their massive gray forms silhouetted against the warm amber tones of the African bush.

1

The Matriarch Leads

Herds are matriarchal, led by the oldest and most experienced female, who guides the group to food, water, and safety.

A striking, direct-facing shot of a massive African elephant standing in a field of short grass and green bushes. Its wide ears are spread outwards, and two very long, sharp, white ivory tusks curve downward almost touching the ground.

2

Solitary Adult Males

Adult males typically live solitary lives, only rejoining herds briefly to mate.

A line of African elephants marches single-file across the savanna, trunks swaying rhythmically, their dusty gray bodies forming a majestic procession against the warm earth tones of the dry season landscape.

3

Empathy in the Herd

Elephants display strong empathy, including mourning behaviors and collective protection of vulnerable calves within the herd.

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Photo Gallery

A young African elephant calf with soft, fuzzy gray skin and oversized ears stands facing the camera, its small trunk curled playfully and wide dark eyes conveying innocent curiosity against a warm, sunlit savanna backdrop.

A small family group of African elephants walks in formation through tall golden grass, adults flanking younger members protectively, their massive gray forms silhouetted against the warm amber tones of the African bush.

A line of African elephants marches single-file across the savanna, trunks swaying rhythmically, their dusty gray bodies forming a majestic procession against the warm earth tones of the dry season landscape.

A close-up view of a family of African elephants coated in reddish-orange soil. An adult elephant lowers its long trunk into the muddy water at the foreground, flanked by two younger calves, one of which curls its trunk near its mouth while standing on the bright orange bank.

A wide landscape photograph capturing a family of elephants, including adults and small calves, trekking through tall golden-yellow grass in a savanna setting. In the background, dense green shrubs and trees line the rolling landscape.

A view from behind a herd of elephants of varying sizes strolling along a wide dirt track. Overhead, overhanging branches from large trees frame the path, while a distant bridge and hazy forest line are visible in the background.

A striking, direct-facing shot of a massive African elephant standing in a field of short grass and green bushes. Its wide ears are spread outwards, and two very long, sharp, white ivory tusks curve downward almost touching the ground.

Flashcards