Physiological Differences

There are three species of elephants which are generally recognized today: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant and the Asian elephant (also known as the Indian elephant).

African Bush Elephant

Asian Elephant

African Forest Elephant 

To the untrained eye, the physiological differences of the African and the Asian elephants can be indistinguishable. There are some physical features that make the two species relatively easy to tell apart.

African elephants generally have large ears. The have large surface area to help keep African elephants cool in the blazing African sun. The Asian elephants using live in cool jungle areas, hence smaller ears.

Asian and African elephants have very distinct head shapes. African elephants have fuller, more rounded heads, and the top of their head is a single dome. Asian elephants have a twin domed head with an indent in the middle.

In African elephants, generally both sexes have tusks, whereas in Asian elephants, only the male grows tusks. There are also some male Asian elephants that are born tuskless.