Indian elephant

The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is one of three extant recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, native to mainland Asia. It has a convex back and the highest body point on its head, exhibits significant sexual dimorphism with a male reaching an average shoulder height of about 2.75 m (9 ft 0 in) and weighing 4,000 kg (8,800 lb). A female reaches an average shoulder height of about 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) and weighs 2,700 kg (6,000 lb). It has a broader skull with a concave forehead, two large laterally folded ears and a large trunk. It has smooth grey skin with four large legs and a long tail.

The Indian elephant is native to mainland Asia with nearly three-fourth of the population in India. It also occurs in Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Southeast Asian countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam with a small population in China. It inhabits grasslands, dry deciduous, moist deciduous, evergreen and semi-evergreen forests across the range. It is classified as a megaherbivore and consumes up to 150 kg (330 lb) of plant matter per day. Its diet depends on the habitat and seasons and includes leaves and twigs of fresh foliage, thorn-bearing shoots, flowering plants, fruits and grass.