Short Article
01-03-2025 | 15:58 PM
Asian Elephant
The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is the largest living land animal in Asia, playing an important role in maintaining forest ecosystems.
Key Highlights
- IUCN Status: Endangered
- Scientific Name: Elephas maximus
- Habitat: Found across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia,
- Wet tropical evergreen forests
- Tropical deciduous forests
- Semi-arid thorn and scrub forests
- Subspecies: Sri Lankan, Indian, and Sumatran elephants
Appearance
- Small, rounded ears (unlike the large ears of African elephants)
- Double-domed head with two humps
- Hump on the back
- Single finger-like projection on the trunk (used for grasping)
Major Threats
- Habitat loss due to deforestation and urbanization
- Human-elephant conflict, leading to casualties on both sides
- Illegal wildlife trade, particularly for ivory and skin
