Largest Elephant in the World with Size

The largest elephant in the world was a Male African savanna elephant. He was about 13 feet tall and weighed about 10,866 kilograms. That Male African Elephant is also known as The Giant of Angola. Let’s learn about the largest elephants in the World, the species of elephants, their habitat, and some of their body parts.

Largest Elephant in the World with Size

Largest Elephant in The World

The Elephant is the largest land animal found on planet Earth. Mainly African Elephants fall under the category of the biggest Elephant in the world. The males are generally the ones that have more height and weight than the females. In 1956, when a group of hunters were on a safari in Angola they came across a very Giant Elephant that was never seen before. It was a Male Giant Elephant. The Elephant later came to be known as the “Giant of Angola”.

The “Giant of Angola” was about 13 feet tall at the shoulder. He was about 24,000 pounds in weight, one of the heaviest Elephants ever recorded. He was shot and killed by a group of Hunters. Two years later, in 1959, his skin was donated to a Natural History Museum in Washington – the Smithsonian Institute. He remains there to this day and is one of the museum’s most popular attractions.

Species of Elephants

There are three major categories in which Elephants are divided. These categories of Elephants are classified based on where Elephants live (in which continent – Asia or Africa). The three species are listed below :

African Savanna Elephants

African Savanna Elephants are also known as African Bush Elephants. They are the largest species of land animal. African savanna elephants form large herds that can range from around 10 individuals to groups of families numbering 70 individuals or more. African forest elephant herds tend to be much smaller, with only a few elephants in each unit.

African Forest Elephants

African forest elephants are smaller and darker than their savanna relative, with characteristically rounded ears and a hairy trunk. An African forest elephant’s tusks are straighter and point downward, rather than outwards like savanna elephants. They are mainly found in the West and Central Africa. African forest elephants inhabit the dense rainforests of West and Central Africa. African forest outwards typically live between 50 and 60 years. Typically, they weigh between 3 and 6.6 tons. The severe decline of forest elephants in Central Africa is largely a result of the unprecedented levels of poaching for the illegal ivory trade in recent years.

Asian Elephants

Asian Elephants are gray but some body parts of these Elephants lack color especially on and around the ears, forehead, and trunk. This de-pigmentation is believed to be controlled by genetics, nutrition, and habitat, and generally develops as an elephant ages. Asian elephants have only one ‘finger’ at the tip of their trunk, while African elephants have two. The highest point of an Asian elephant is its slightly humped back, while African elephants are tallest at the shoulder.

Habitat of Elephants

Elephants are generally found in savannas, grasslands, and forests. Elephants occupy a wide range of habitats, including deserts, swamps, and highlands in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia. Both Asian and African elephants migrate and generally follow the same migratory routes annually. Migration distances vary considerably depending on environmental conditions. During a prolonged dry season in Africa, elephant migration distances were recorded to extend over 100 km. African elephants usually migrate between June and November at the beginning of the dry season, heading toward more hospitable locations near rivers and water sources that are not prone to drying. When the rainy season arrives, usually from October to December and March to June, elephant herds return to native regions to feed on the lush, green vegetation the rains helped regenerate. Elephant migration allows time for the re—growth of vegetation in exhausted grazing areas.

Important Body Parts of Elephant

• Trunk of Elephant: The Trunk of an elephant helps them perform many functions such as breathing, grasping, dusting, smelling, drinking, feeding, and communicating along with sound production. The trunk of an Elephant is an extension of the nose and the lip. There is a particular finger-life projection present in the tip of the trunk communicating Asian elephants. The African elephants on the other hand have two of those projections.
• Ears of Elephantscool: Ears of Elephants help them cooling their body parts. The ears of Elephants are 1/6th the size of an elephant’s body. The skin on the outer surface of Elephants is about 1-2 mm thick. Elephants that reside closer to the equator have larger ears.
• Teeth: Elephants have a unique set of teeth, including molars that are continuously replaced throughout their lives. As the front teeth wear down, new teeth from behind replace them, allowing them to eat tough vegetation.
• Brain: Elephants possess a highly developed brain, essential for their complex social interactions, memory, problem-solving abilities, and emotional intelligence.
• Feet: Elephants have large, padded feet that distribute their massive weight and enable them to walk quietly despite their size. They are also used for digging and gathering food.

Largest Elephant in the World – FAQs

Do Elephants have the ability to communicate with Human beings?

Elephants come under the category of intelligent animals, but they have complex communication system. Humans are not able to communicate them directly but can understand their behavior through observations.

Which countries are known as “Land of Elephants”?

Laos is generally referred to as the “Land of Elephants”. Several other countries such as Thailand, Botswana and Zimbabwe are also known as “Land of Elephants”.

Was Jumbo the biggest elephant?

Jumbo was indeed one of the most famous elephants due to his size and popularity in the late 19th century. He was an African bush elephant and was considered one of the largest captive elephants at that time.

The world’s largest elephant now?

The largest elephant in the world was an Male African savanna elephant. He was about 13 feet tall and weighed about 10,866 kilograms. That Male African Elephant is also known as The Giant of Angola.

Which country has 1,000 elephants?

 Laos is known as the Land of Thousand Elephants. Laos has served as home to thousands of elephants. Hence it was called a Land of thousand elephants.