The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the closest relative of the African forest elephant. It is not only the largest elephant—African bush elephant is the heaviest herbivorous land mammal living today.
African Bush Elephant 🐘Facts
Adult elephants can grow up to 13 feet in height and weighs as much as 22,928 pounds. This is the size of the biggest African bush elephant which was shot in 1974 in southern Angola. But the average size is about 10.5 feet and weighs up to 13,228 pounds.
It has unusually large ears as compared to the African forest elephants. They have the thickest bodies.
The African bush elephant makes habitat in grasslands, partial deserts, and forests.
African bush elephants ar
e found in Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
The elephant eats shrubbery leaves and underwater plant. African bush elephants can eat up to 500 pounds of vegetation a day. They walk too much which is why they can digest a large quantity of meal.
African elephants drink 190 liters of water each day.
They will live alone. During the breeding season a female is often seen with her cub. African elephants do not live in herds.
The female gives birth to one calf during the rainy season. The baby African elephant weighs up to 90 pounds. They will reach maturity at 20 years age.
African bush elephants are one of the longest-lived mammals. They can live 60 – 70 years in the wild but in captivity elephants have a lifespan of 80 years.
While adults are too strong to be caught by predators young elephants are vulnerable to crocodile, leopard, hyena, and lions.
The population of African elephants is quite stable except in some parts where it is endangered.
