Asian Elephants

The Asian or Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus) is the only living species of the genus Elephants and is distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Asian elephants are the largest living land animals in Asia.

Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years. The species is pre-eminently threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. In 2003, the wild population was estimated at between 41,410 and 52,345 individuals.

Asian elephants are rather long-lived, with a maximum recorded life span of 86 years. This species has been domesticated and is used for such purposes as timber-carrying and transportation.

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