African savanna elephant

Common Name:

African savanna elephant

Scientific Name:

Loxodonta africana

Type:

Mammals

Diet:

Herbivore

Group Name:

Herd

Average Life Span In The Wild:

Up to 70 years

Size:

Up to 24 feet long and 13 feet tall

Weight:

Up to 7 tons

IUCN Red List Status: ?

Endangered

LC

NT

VU

EN

CR

EW

EX

Least Concern Extinct

What is an African savanna elephant?

African savanna elephants, also known as African bush elephants, are not only the largest species of elephant on Earth, they are also the planet’s largest species of land animal.

Scientists used to think African savanna elephants and closely related African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) were subspecies of a single African elephant. However, a study published in 2010 found that each elephant belonged to its own species and that the lineages diverged between 2.5 and 5 million years ago, or about as long ago as humans split off from chimpanzees. 

(Both African elephant species are now endangered, one critically.)

Not only are African savanna elephants about twice as large as their closest cousins, but their tusks are thicker and more curved and their ears are more triangular.

There are also behavioral differences between the species. African savanna elephants form large herds that can range from around 10 individuals to groups of families numbering 70 individuals or more. African forest elephant herds tend to be much smaller, with only a few elephants in each unit.

Habitat and diet

African savanna elephants can thrive in a range of habitats, from wooded savannas and open grasslands to deserts. In fact, one of the few places in sub-Saharan Africa that you won’t find this species is the dense tropical forests in the center of the continent where African forest elephants live.

As herbivores, elephants chow down on grass, leaves, bark, and fruit—and lots of it! Each animal requires as much as 350 pounds of foliage per day.

Interestingly, there’s a link between what elephants eat and where they live. By stripping trees of leaves and even breaking branches or knocking down tree trunks, African savanna elephants help keep open habitats from filling in with dense vegetation. For this reason, scientists consider elephants to be ecosystem engineers—or animals that modify their environments, such as humans and beavers.

(Why some animals are more important to ecosystems than others.)

During the dry season, elephants are also able to dig into the soil to expose underground springs. This not only quenches the animal’s thirst, but also makes water available to other creatures. Continued wallowing, especially on the site of former termite mounds, also creates depressions in the savanna where water collects and eventually forms water holes.

Reproduction

As large-bodied mammals, elephants do not become reproductively mature for many years. And while both males and females may be capable of reproducing at eight to 12 years of age, females tend to prefer older males ages 30 to 35.

While breeding can happen all year, most mating happens between December and March. Leading up to it, male elephants experience a surge in testosterone levels—up to six times higher than normal. This state is known as musth, and it can last two to three months. During this time, male elephants become extremely aggressive and can be dangerous to people and other animals that get in their way.

Being in musth has its benefits, though, as females are especially likely to mate with males that are both 35 years old and in musth.

(Just like us, African elephants mourn their dead.)

After mating, female savanna elephants become pregnant and will remain so for nearly two years! At 22 months, elephant pregnancy is the longest gestation known for any animal.

Baby elephants, or calves, can weigh around 200 pounds at birth. Each day, they must drink around 2.5 gallons of milk to survive—a figure that will double within their first year of life.

Conservation

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the African savanna elephant as endangered, and the general population is thought to be decreasing. This is the result of many factors, including poaching for the elephant’s ivory, the effects of war, climate change, and serious reduction of habitat due to development, agriculture, drilling, and mining.

Due to their gargantuan food needs, elephants can also be a serious threat to farmers, with the animals capable of destroying an entire field’s worth of crops in a single night. This leads to conflict that can result in the death of both humans and elephants. For instance, between 2010 and 2017, Kenyan authorities euthanized between 50 and 120 elephants a year as a result of human-elephant conflict. During the same period, 200 people were killed by elephants.

The good news is that African savanna elephants are now protected in various ways across 23 of the countries they call home. Conservation actions include protecting the elephants’ habitat, as well as more active measures, such as mobilizing anti-poaching units and restricting the sale of ivory.