African Bush Elephant
Loxodonta africana
African Bush Elephant: How Big Is the Largest Land Animal?
The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), also called the African savanna elephant, is the largest land animal: fully grown bulls average about 3.2 m (10.5 ft) at the shoulder and 6 tonnes, cows about 2.6 m and 3 tonnes. It is a separate species from the much smaller African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), which has rounder ears and straighter, downward-pointing tusks. The IUCN has assessed the two separately since 2021 and lists the bush elephant as Endangered.
- Scientific name
- Loxodonta africana (African savanna elephant)
- Size
- Bulls avg. about 3.2 m at the shoulder and 6 t; cows about 2.6 m and 3 t
- Record
- Largest accurately measured bull: about 3.96 m (Angola, 1974)
- Bush vs forest
- Forest elephant (L. cyclotis): smaller, rounder ears, straighter downward tusks
- Conservation
- Endangered (IUCN, assessed separately since 2021)
- Range
- Open country across sub-Saharan Africa, from grassland to desert
Size, and how it differs from the forest elephant
The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest living land animal. Under good conditions, fully grown bulls average about 3.2 m (10.5 ft) at the shoulder and 6 tonnes, with most between 3.0 and 3.4 m and 5.2 to 6.9 tonnes; cows average about 2.6 m and 3 tonnes. The largest accurately measured bull, shot in Angola in 1974, stood about 3.96 m. Bulls reach full height only around age 40. Its closest relative, the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), is much smaller: forest bulls average about 2.2 m and 2 tonnes. Forest elephants have rounder, more oval ears and straighter tusks that point down, while bush elephants have big, roughly triangular ears and tusks that curve outward. Bush elephants live in open country across sub-Saharan Africa, from grassland and woodland to desert; forest elephants live in the tropical forests of Central Africa and parts of West Africa. Following new genetic evidence, the IUCN assessed the two as separate species for the first time in 2021, listing the bush elephant as Endangered and the forest elephant as Critically Endangered. Our Field Journal piece on the African bush elephant covers the split in more detail.
Habitat & range
African bush elephants roam open and semi-open country across roughly two dozen sub-Saharan countries, from lowlands into mountain slopes. They generally avoid the dense rainforests of the smaller forest elephant. Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and South Africa hold core strongholds; connected corridors matter because much range lies outside protected areas.
Diet & foraging
These herbivores eat about 150 kg of grasses, leaves, bark, roots, and fruit daily and may drink 180–230 liters of water. Their trunk pulls browse, strips bark, and sprays water. By toppling trees and opening thickets, they engineer habitat and disperse seeds.
Behavior & adaptations
Family herds are led by an older matriarch; adult bulls often travel alone or in bachelor groups except during musth. The trunk has about 40,000 muscle units. Infrasound carries across kilometers; ears shed heat, tusks dig, and pregnancy lasts about 22 months.
Conservation
The IUCN lists the bush or savanna elephant (L. africana) as Endangered after the 2021 split that recognized the forest elephant (L. cyclotis) as Critically Endangered. Ivory poaching and habitat loss drove declines: the IUCN found savanna elephant numbers fell by at least 60% over 50 years. Botswana and other southern strongholds remain important, but pressure persists. Protecting this ecosystem engineer protects whole landscapes.
African Bush Elephant vs White Rhinoceros
The much larger elephant overpowers the rhino with size, reach, and tusks in any grassland clash.
In the open savanna, these two giants might meet at a watering hole or while grazing the same grasses. The rhino relies on its thick hide and sharp horn for defense, charging low and fast when threatened. The elephant uses its height, long tusks, and powerful trunk to probe and strike from above. The elephant's sheer bulk and longer reach give it the advantage. A few well-placed tusk thrusts or trunk slaps can drive the rhino back, and the elephant's greater mass makes it hard to topple. Rhinos are tough but rarely risk prolonged fights against animals this much bigger. In the end the elephant claims the space or water, while the rhino retreats to safer ground. Both animals usually avoid serious injury by sizing each other up first.
Read more about White Rhinoceros.
Common questions about African Bush Elephant
How big does an African bush elephant get?
It is the largest land animal. Fully grown bulls average about 3.2 m (10.5 ft) at the shoulder and 6 tonnes, and cows about 2.6 m and 3 t (Larramendi 2016). The biggest accurately measured bull, shot in Angola in 1974, stood about 3.96 m (13 ft). Read more in our Field Journal piece on the African bush elephant.
What is the scientific name of the African bush elephant?
It is Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach, 1797), also called the African savanna elephant. Its genus, Loxodonta, has one other living species: the smaller African forest elephant, L. cyclotis, which the IUCN has assessed as a separate species since 2021.
How is the African bush elephant different from the African forest elephant?
The bush elephant is much bigger: bulls average about 3.2 m and 6 t, against about 2.2 m and 2 t for forest bulls (Larramendi 2016). It has big, triangular ears and outward-curving tusks; the forest elephant (L. cyclotis) has rounder ears and straighter, downward-pointing tusks (WWF). Forest elephants keep to Central and West African forests; bush elephants use open savanna. More in our Field Journal piece on the 2021 split.
Is the African bush elephant endangered?
Yes. The IUCN Red List has listed it as Endangered since 2021, when African elephants were first assessed as two species; before that they were listed together as Vulnerable. The smaller forest elephant is Critically Endangered. Both declined mainly because of ivory poaching and habitat loss (IUCN).
How many African bush elephants are left in the wild?
There is no recent separate headcount. The IUCN points to the 2016 African Elephant Status Report, which estimated about 415,000 elephants for both African species combined. Its 2021 assessment found savanna elephants fell by at least 60% over 50 years, mainly from ivory poaching and habitat loss, though some populations have been stable or growing for decades.
Where do most African bush elephants live?
The IUCN says the largest single subpopulation is in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, which spans Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Elephant numbers there have been stable or growing for decades. The species is found in open country across much of sub-Saharan Africa, including grasslands and even deserts.
How long do African bush elephants live?
Wild elephants can live 60–70 years, according to WWF. Growth is slow: bulls only reach full size at about 35–40 years old, well over half their natural lifespan.
How can you tell an African elephant from an Asian elephant?
Look at the ears and the trunk tip. African elephants have much larger ears and two finger-like tips at the end of the trunk; Asian elephants have smaller ears and one tip (WWF). In African elephants, both males and females usually grow tusks.
Featured in the Field Journal
- African Bush Elephant: Largest Land Animal, Size, and the 2021 Endangered Split
- Heaviest Land Mammals Ranked: African Bush Elephant Still Rules
More Mammalia animals
Mammalia · Grassland · Cost 8