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The '''Indian elephant''' (''Elephas maximus indicus'') is one of three [[subspecies]] of the [[Asian elephant]]. It comes from mainland [[Asia]]. Since 1986, ''E. maximus indicus'' has been listed as [[endangered species|endangered]] by [[IUCN]]. The population has declined by at least 50% over the last 60–75 years. The subspecies is also threatened by habitat loss, degradation and herds being split apart into smaller groups.<ref name=iucn>Choudhury, A. and others (IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group) 2008. [https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/7140/12828813]</ref> | The '''Indian elephant''' (''Elephas maximus indicus'') is one of three [[subspecies]] of the [[Asian elephant]]. It comes from mainland [[Asia]]. Since 1986, ''E. maximus indicus'' has been listed as [[endangered species|endangered]] by [[IUCN]]. The population has declined by at least 50% over the last 60–75 years. The subspecies is also threatened by habitat loss, degradation and herds being split apart into smaller groups.<ref name=iucn>Choudhury, A. and others (IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group) 2008. [https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/7140/12828813]</ref> | ||
The Indian elephant is indigenous to mainland Asia, with approximately three-fourths of its population residing in [[Republic of India]]. This species is also found in various countries across the [[Indian subcontinent]], including [[Nepal]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Bhutan]], and [[Myanmar]], as well as in Southeast Asian nations such as [[Thailand]], [[Malaysia]], [[Laos]], [[Cambodia[], and [[Vietnam]], with smaller populations in [[People's Republic of China]]. | The Indian elephant is indigenous to mainland Asia, with approximately three-fourths of its population residing in [[Republic of India]]. This species is also found in various countries across the [[Indian subcontinent]], including [[Nepal]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Bhutan]], and [[Myanmar]], as well as in Southeast Asian nations such as [[Thailand]], [[Malaysia]], [[Laos]], [[Cambodia[], and [[Vietnam]], with smaller populations in [[People's Republic of China]]. | ||
Revision as of 11:08, 25 March 2025
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| Female, Nagarhole National Park | |
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| Elephas maximus indicus (Cuvier), 1798
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The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is one of three subspecies of the Asian elephant. It comes from mainland Asia. Since 1986, E. maximus indicus has been listed as endangered by IUCN. The population has declined by at least 50% over the last 60–75 years. The subspecies is also threatened by habitat loss, degradation and herds being split apart into smaller groups.[1]
The Indian elephant is indigenous to mainland Asia, with approximately three-fourths of its population residing in Republic of India. This species is also found in various countries across the Indian subcontinent, including Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar, as well as in Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, [[Cambodia[], and Vietnam, with smaller populations in People's Republic of China.
Indian elephants inhabit a range of environments, including grasslands, dry deciduous forests, moist deciduous forests, evergreen forests, and semi-evergreen forests throughout their distribution. Classified as megaherbivores, these elephants can consume up to 150 kg of plant matter daily. Their diet varies according to habitat and seasonal availability and may consist of leaves and twigs from fresh foliage, thorny shoots, flowering plants, fruits, and grasses.
Since 1986, the Asian elephant has been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to a significant decline in its wild population, which has decreased by at least 50% over the last three generations of elephants. The species faces multiple threats, including environmental degradation, habitat loss, and fragmentation. Additionally, poaching for ivory poses a serious risk in certain regions of Asia. In response to these challenges, the Government of India launched Project Elephant in 1992, aimed at protecting elephant habitats and populations.
The Indian elephant holds substantial cultural significance across its range and is featured in various religious traditions and mythologies. It is viewed positively and revered as a manifestation of Lord Ganesha in Hindu Dharma. The species has been designated as the national heritage animal of India and serves as the national animal of both Thailand and Laos.
Taxonomy
The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is one of the three recognised extant subspecies of the Asian elephant.[2] The scientific name Elephas maximus was first proposed by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 for an elephant specimen from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).[3] In 1798, Georges Cuvier introduced the name Elephas indicus to describe an elephant from India.[4] In 1940, Frederick Nutter Chasen categorised all three forms as subspecies of the Asian elephant, solidifying their classification within the broader species.[5]
Description
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In general, the Asian elephant is smaller than its African counterpart. Its back is characterised by a convex shape or is level with the highest point on its head. This species exhibits notable sexual dimorphism; males typically reach an average shoulder height of around 3.2 meters (10 feet) and can weigh up to 5,400 kg, while females average about 2.54 meters (8 feet 4 inches) in shoulder height and weigh up to 4,160 kg.[6] The tallest recorded Indian elephant stood at 3.43 meters (11.3 feet) at the shoulder, and on average, they measure between 5.5 and 6.5 meters (18 to 21 feet) in length, including the trunk.[7][8]
The Indian elephant has a broader skull with a concave forehead and two dorsal bulges on top. Its large, laterally folded ears and substantial trunk, which features one finger-like projection, are prominent features of its anatomy. [6] The skeleton includes 20 pairs of ribs and 34 vertebrae. It possesses four sturdy legs that are nearly straight, with broader toes; each foreleg has five nail-like structures, while each hind leg has four. These robust legs support the elephant's considerable weight for extended periods with minimal energy expenditure, and the broad feet help cushion against hard surfaces. The tail averages between 1.2 and 1.5 meters (3 feet 11 inches to 4 feet 11 inches) in length.
The skin color of the Indian elephant is generally grey, lighter than that of Elephas maximus maximus but darker than that of Elephas maximus sumatranus. Its skin is typically smoother than that of African elephants and may feature smaller patches of white depigmentation or grey spots. The body is covered in brownish to reddish hairs, which tend to reduce and darken with age. Females are usually smaller than males and often have short or absent tusks.[9] Additionally, Indian elephants possess approximately 29 narrow cheek teeth.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Choudhury, A. and others (IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group) 2008. [1]
- ↑ Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. JHU Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.
- ↑ Linnaei, C. (1758). "Bruta". Caroli Linnæi Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Vol. Tomus I. Holmiae: Impensis Direct. Laurentti Salvii. p. 33.
- ↑ Cuvier, G. (1798). "Elephas indicus". Tableau elementaire de l'histoire naturelle des animaux. Paris: Baudouin. pp. 148–149.
- ↑ Chasen, F.N. (1940). "A handlist of Malaysian mammals, a systematic list of the mammals of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Java, including the adjacent small islands" (PDF). Bulletin of the Raffles Museum. 15: 1–209. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 February 2020.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Shoshani, J.; Eisenberg, J. F. (1982). "Elephas maximus". Mammalian Species (182): 1–8. doi:10.2307/3504045. JSTOR 3504045.
- ↑ Pillai, N.G. (1941). "On the height and age of an elephant". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 42: 927–928.
- ↑ Furaha tenVelde, P. (1997). "The wild elephants of the Royal Bardia National Park, Nepal" (PDF). Gajah: Journal of the IUCN/SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group (17): 41–44. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
- ↑ Shoshani, J. (2006). "Taxonomy, Classification, and Evolution of Elephants". In Fowler, M. E.; Mikota, S. K. (eds.). Biology, medicine, and surgery of elephants. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 3–14. ISBN 0-8138-0676-3. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
