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African elephant
Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0

Savanna · Mammal

African elephant

Loxodonta africana

The African elephant is the largest animal on land. Herds are led by the oldest, most experienced female, who remembers where to find water for many years.

Where it lives
Sub-Saharan Africa
Diet
HerbivoreEats plants
Weight
3–6 tonnes
Shoulder height
3.2 m
Top speed
40 km/h
Lifespan (wild)
60–70 years

In Pawpedia: What is a mammal?What is a herbivore?What does endangered mean?

Yaman scale

Drawn side by side with Yaman, to the same scale.

African elephant: shoulder height 3.2 m — that's 2.1 times Yaman's height. 1 m2 m3 m Yaman · 1.5 m African elephant · 3.2 m
Shoulder height2.1Yamans

African elephant: shoulder height 3.2 m — that's 2.1 times Yaman's height.

Weight129Yamans

Around 4.5 tonnes — as heavy as 129 Yamans.

Common questions

Where does the African elephant live?

Sub-Saharan Africa. In our zoo it lives in the Savanna zone.

What does the African elephant eat?

It is a herbivore: it eats plants.

How big does the African elephant get?

Shoulder height: 3.2 m. It weighs 3–6 tonnes.

How long does the African elephant live?

60–70 years in the wild.

How fast is the African elephant?

It can reach about 40 km/h.

Is the African elephant endangered?

On the IUCN Red List it is listed as endangered. At high risk of disappearing from the wild.

Got another question? Ask Yaman

Did you know?

  • Its trunk has more than 40,000 muscles — strong enough to push over a tree, gentle enough to pick up a peanut.
  • An elephant can eat more than 150 kilograms of plants a day.
  • Elephants can feel rumbles sent by other elephants kilometres away through their feet.

How safe is it?

  1. LC
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX

Endangered. At high risk of disappearing from the wild.

IUCN Red List

How can you help these animals?

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