Asian Elephant

Facts

IUCN ENDANGERED (EN)

Facts about this animal

The Asian elephant differs from his African cousin in that the outline of the back is convex, with the highest points of the silhouette being the head and the hind quarters sloping, the large forehead and the smaller ears. The height at the shoulder in males is up to 330 cm, the head body-length is 550-640 cm. They can weight up to five tons (males). Females are smaller and lighter than males. The head is very large, the forehead is flat, vertical, with two humps on the top.

The surface of the trunk is rather smooth and there is a finger-like projection at the tip (above). The ears are relatively small and more or less pentagonal in shape. Females are nearly always, males sometimes without visible tusks. If they are present, they are curved and rather massive. The legs are shorter than in the African species. They have five nails on each fore foot, and four nails on each hind foot. The skin is smoother than in the African Elephant. The colour is dark grey to brown, often mottled about the forehead, ears, base of trunk and the chest with flesh-coloured blotches. The hair covering is scant, the hairs are long, stiff and bristly.

Did you know?
that the Asian elephant is more closely related to the mammoth, which became extinct about 3'000 years ago, than to the African elephant?

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	PROBOSCIDEA
Family	ELEPHANTIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Elephas maximus
Name (English)	Asian Elephant
Name (French)	Eléphant d'Asie
Name (German)	Asiatischer Elefant
Name (Spanish)	Elefante asiático
Local names	Bahasa: Gajah Hindi: Hathi (male), Hathni (female) Tamil, AnaiMalay: Ana
CITES Status	Appendix I (Great Britain)
CMS Status	Not listed

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Zoo Leipzig

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Sri Lanka and parts of India, Southern China and Southeast Asia, including Sumatra and Borneo
Habitat	Jungle and scrub forest, preferring areas that combine grass with low woody plants and trees.
Wild population	Approx. 40000-50000 and decreasing (IUCN Red List 2011)
Zoo population	475 reported to ISIS In Europe, 75 zoos with a total of some 260 elephants participate in the EEP

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 71 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations, should be followed.

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Zoo Leipzig

Why do zoos keep this animal

Elephants are among the most emotive megafauna species. They are one of the great attractions for zoo visitors, and thus an ideal flagship species for the conservation of the shrinking South/South-East Asian jungle and its many threatened inhabitants.

The Asian elephant is rated endangered by IUCN and it is listed in Appendix I of CITES. Zoos therefore undetake efforts to establish a self-sustaining ex situ population through coordinated breeding programmes managed at the regional level. As a result of this programmes, average group size and the percentage of institutions keeping elephant bulls are steadily increasing.

Although the Asian elephant is not primarily in the focus of the illegal ivory trade, it provides an opportunity for addressing the problem of illegal trade in ivory and may succeed in influencing consumer behaviour.

Zoos may also keep elephants for animal welfare reasons by accepting to care for elephants kept under less suitable conditions in other zoos, circuses or by artists.

How this animal should be kept

Elephants are social animals and should not be kept alone. It is not allowed to keep them permanently chained, but the facilities should be so designed as to allow for temporary chaining or otherwise restraining the animals. The zoo must have a clear concept whether hands-on, hands-off or protected contact will be practiced, and behavioural enrichment must be provided.

The outdoor enclosure should have a surface of 3000 m² for three adult females and their offspring, and 300 m² more for each additional adult. In colder climatic zones there should also be an indoor enclosure of 300 m² / 30 m². For each adult bull enclosures of 700 m² outdoors and 100 m² are required. Individual boxes should have a size of 40 m² for females and 50 m² for bulls.

The enclosures and boxes should be confined in a away as to minimize the risk of injuries. The indoor facilities should be well ventilated and a temperature of at least 15 °C should be maintained. Elephants must have the opportunity to bathe or be showered daily. The outdoor enclosure must contain a pool, mud bath, and sandy patches, as well as tree trunks for chafing. The feed should be rich in crude fiber and include hay, branches, fruit, vegetables, and should be supplemented with vitamines and minerals. Elephants should alwys have access to clean water