* | African | Asian |
---|---|---|
Height | Highest point is the head, 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) | Highest point is the shoulder, 2-3 meters (8-11 feet) |
Weight | 4,000-7,500kgs | 3,000-5,000kgs |
Forehead | Single hump | Two humps |
Ears | Very large and reach over the neck | Large, some fold over at the top but do not reach over the neck |
Lip | Short and round | Long and pointed |
Trunk | Heavily ringed appearance with two finger-like appendages at the tip | Smoother appearance with one finger-like appendage at the tip |
Tusk | Both females and males have tusks | Only some males have tusks, females have ‘mini-tusks’ called tushes which are large incisor teeth |
Skin | Wrinkled | Smooth |
Back | Concave | Humped or straight |
Stomach | Slopes down to the back knees | Hangs down in the middle or straight |
Ribs | Up to 21 pairs | Up to 20 pairs |
Toenails | Usually 4 on the front, 3 on the back | 5 on the front feet, 4 on the back feet |
WWF Wild Population Estimate | 470,000-690,000 | 25,600-32,700 |
IUCN Red List Status | Vulnerable | Endangered |
Diet | Variety of vegetation with a large concentration of leaves | Variety of vegetation with a large concentration of grasses |
Social Groups | Family groups of 6-20 individuals, but several groups may travel together or inhabit the same area | Family groups consist of 7-8 adult females with young |