Science Fact Finder | The Animal World - What Is The Difference Between An African Elephant And An Indian Elephant?

What is the difference between an African elephant and an Indian elephant?

The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest living land animal, weighing up to 8.25 tons (7,500 kilograms) and standing 10 to 13 feet (3 to 4 meters) at the shoulder. The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) weighs about 6 tons (5,500 kilograms) with a shoulder height of 10 feet (3 meters). Other differences are:

...

African elephant	Indian elephant
Larger ears	Smaller ears
Gestation period of about 660 days	Gestation period of about 610 days
Ear tops turn backward	Ear tops turn forward
Concave back	Convex back
Three toenails on hind feet	Four toenails on hind feet

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