Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758

The Asian Elephant is a megaherbivore, and is the only living species of the genus Elephas. It is smaller than the African Elephant and they are crepuscular in nature. Adult females and calfs move about in herds. Conflict between humans and elephants, due to their shrinking habitat, is one of the major conservation challenges of Asia.

Elephas maximus indicus (Cuvier), 1798

Type locality: Sri Lanka

The female has generally one young at a birth.

The vertical height at the shoulder in adult elephants is almost exactly twice the circumference of the fore foot. Adult males do not as a rule exceed 9 feet, females 8 in height.

Measurements: Height At Shoulder (HAS): 245-275 cm, Weight (Wt): 3,200-5,400 kg (male); 3000-3300kg (female)

Skin nearly naked. Tail with a row of long coarse hairs for a few inches before and behind and round the end only. Five hoofs normally on each fore foot, four hoofs on each hind foot. The number of ridges in each molar from the first to the last is 4, 8, 12, 12, 16, and 24, with slight variation. Males as a rule have well developed tusks ; some males, known in India as makna, have merely short tusks like females. Colour blackish grey throughout. The forehead, base of the trunk, and the ears often mottled with flesh-colour. White elephants are albinoes. Head oblong, with a concave forehead ; crowns of the molars presenting narrow transverse ridges ; 4 toes to the hind-feet ; ears moderate; tusks large in the male, small in the female. Compared with the African elephant this species has much smaller ears. In the former the head is more rounded ; the grinders present broad lozenge-shaped eminences on their crowns ; and they have usually only 3 toes on their hindfeet. The number of pairs of ribs is, 19 in the Indian elephant, and 21 in the African, and there are 33 caudal vertebrre in tlie Indian, and never more than 26 in the African. In some males only one tusk is developed ; and in Ceylon many male elephants have the tusks very small.

The country chiefly inhabited by elephants is tree-forest, undulating or hilly, generally containing bamboos in considerable quantities, but the animals often enter the high grass growing on alluvial flats. Individuals of various sizes and ages, and of both sexes, associate in herds, usually numbering 30 to 50, but not uncommonly more, sometimes 100. These herds often break up temporarily into smaller groups. The males are frequently found alone, but as a rule each belongs to a herd and joins it occasionally. All members of a herd generally belong to the same family, and are nearly related : different herds do not mix, but stray females or young males appear to obtain admission to a herd without difficulty. The leader of a herd is invariably a female. According to Sanderson a really solitary elephant is rare, many " rogue " elephants that have become notorious belonging to a herd. As a general rule, wild elephants are most timorous, and shun the presence of man as carefully as deer do. Now and then considerable damage is done by wild elephants to various crops, and a single male individual at times becomes savage, and kills any one that comes in his way. The food of elephants consists principally of various kinds of grass, leaves and shoots of bamboos, wild plantains (Musa), of which both stems and leaves are eaten, and leaves, small branches, and bark of particular trees, especially of species of Ficus. A full-grown elephant consumes between 600 and 700 lb. of green fodder per diem. Elephants drink twice a day in general, before sunset and after sunrise. Both food and drink are conveyed to the mouth by the trunk ; tufts of grass or branches of trees are plucked by coiling the end of the trunk round them ; leaves are stripped from boughs, and even bark from trees or branches, in a similar manner; only very small objects, such as small fruits, are picked up between the lobes above and below the nostrils at the tip of the trunk. In drinking, the end of the trunk is immersed and the lower part (in Sanderson's opinion not more than 15 or 18 inches) filled by suction with water, which is then discharged into the mouth. Grain such as rice is eaten in a similar way, being drawn into the end of the trunk and then blown into the mouth. In the wild state elephants roam about and feed for the greater part of the day and night, resting from about 9 or 10 a.m. till about 3 P.M. and again from about 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. They lie down to sleep like other mammals. Whilst feeding the herds scatter somewhat, but they quickly collect when alarmed. In many places elephants migrate considerable distances at particular seasons, chiefly in search of fodder, but partly it is believed to avoid insects, and generally from higher to lower ground or vice versd, or from one kind of forest to another. In marching, they keep in strict Indian file. They are fond of bathing and of rolling in mud in warm weather. They squirt water on their bodies with their trunks when heated, and when water is not at hand they draw some, by means not clearly understood, from the mouth or throat. The fluid thus obtained is probably a secretion, perhaps salivary. They sometimes, especially when exposed to the sun, throw dust or leaves over their backs. The sense of smell is highly developed, but neither sight nor hearing is particularly acute. The only pace of elephants is a walk, slow or quick, at times increased to a shuffling run. They are incapable of any motion resembling a gallop, or of the least jump, vertical or horizontal. A 7-foot trench is impassable by them, though a large elephant can clear 6.5 feet in its stride. They climb very steep places, bending the fore legs when ascending and the hind legs when descending, and kicking or pressing holes for the feet if necessary. In kneeling down an elephant first bends the hind legs one after the other, then the fore legs, which are stretched out in front ; in rising the process is reversed. Few animals not aquatic by nature swim as well as elephants. They have been known to swim for six hours or even more without resting. The pace is not rapid, probably about a mile an hour. Tlie principal sounds made by elephants are the following. First the shrill trumpet, varying in tone, and expressive, sometimes of fear, sometimes of auger. Secondly a roar from the throat, caused by fear or pain. A peculiar hoarse rumbling in the throat may express anger or want, as when a calf is calling for its mother. Pleasure is indicated by a continued low squeaking through the trunk. Lastly, there is a peculiar metallic sound made by rapping the end of the trunk on the ground and blowing through it at the same time. This indicates alarm or dislike, and is the well known indication of a tiger's presence. An elephant sometimes tries to frighten its enemies by blowing through its trunk. Most elephants are timid inoffensive animals, though individuals are vicious ; females with young offspring and solitary males or " rogues " being most disposed to attack. The attack is made with the trunk tightly coiled, the feet, and in males the tusks, being used for purposes of offence, and the adversary, if caught, is generally trampled upon. The young are generally born in September, October, and November, though a few are produced at other seasons. Twins are a rare exception, a single young one the rule. The young when born is about 3 feet high and weighs about 200 lb. It sucks with the mouth, not with the trunk, which is short and but little flexible. An elephant is full grown, but not fully mature, at 25 years of age, and individuals have been known to live over 100 years in captivity ; in a wild state their existence probably extends to 150 years. Male elephants are liable to periodical attacks of excitement, supposed to be of a sexual nature, though this does not appear clearly proved. During such attacks the animals are said to be " mast," and are often dangerous to men or to other elephants. The attack is preceded and accompanied by the flow of an oily secretion from a small orifice in each temple.

Mixed deciduous and evergreen forests, scrub and grassland

Being a generalist, it is known to inhabit mixed deciduous, evergreen forests, scrub floodplains and grasslands.

Red List Category & Criteria: Endangered A2c ver 3.1 Year Published: 2008

IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered

IUCN Red List Category and Criteria: Endangered A2c

IUCN redlist Status: Endangered CITES Appendix - I

Habitat loss, conflict with humans, poaching.

Indian Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972- Schedule I

Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, Schedule - I