Elephas maximus, the Asian elephant, belongs to the order Proboscidea and the family Elephantidae. It is the only surviving species of the genus Elephas, distinguished from its African counterpart by smaller, rounded ears, a convex or level back, and two finger‑like projections at the tip of the trunk. Historically its range spanned from the Indian subcontinent across Southeast Asia to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Today viable populations persist in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo, occupying a mosaic of tropical moist forests, dry deciduous woodlands, grass‑savanna mosaics and riverine wetlands. Asian elephants are keystone megaherbivores; their foraging creates gaps that promote plant diversity and their seed dispersal supports forest regeneration. The species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 40,000–45,000 individuals remaining, fragmented into isolated subpopulations. Ongoing habitat conversion, human‑elephant conflict and illegal poaching of ivory and meat drive rapid declines, prompting extensive transboundary conservation programs, protected‑area networks and community‑based mitigation strategies.

Asian elephants live in matriarchal societies where related adult females and their offspring form cohesive herds of 5–20 individuals. The oldest female, the matriarch, leads movements, remembers seasonal water sources and mediates social bonds through tactile contact and low‑frequency vocalisations. Bulls leave their natal groups at puberty and either roam solitary or form loose bachelor groups, joining female herds only during the brief musth period when testosterone spikes. The species is primarily diurnal, spending 16–18 hours a day feeding, with activity peaks at dawn and dusk. Home ranges vary from 100 km² in dense forest to over 300 km² in open savanna, overlapping with other herds but maintaining individual space through scent marking, foot‑stomps and rumbling calls that travel several kilometres. Communication combines audible rumbles, infrasonic calls, body language and chemical signals, enabling coordination across large distances and complex social interactions.

Asian elephants are obligate megaherbivores, consuming 150–300 kg of vegetation daily to meet their energetic needs. Their diet is highly flexible, comprising grasses, bamboo shoots, leaves, bark, twigs, fruits, and seasonal crops such as rice and sugarcane. In forested habitats they browse on understory foliage and fruiting trees, while in grassland and savanna they graze on short grasses. Feeding occurs in multiple bouts from early morning to late afternoon, interspersed with short rests and social interactions. Elephants use their prehensile trunk to grasp, strip, and pull vegetation, and their large molars grind coarse plant material. Water intake can exceed 200 L per day, and they often visit waterholes or streams to drink and bathe, which also aids thermoregulation and parasite control.

Females reach sexual maturity between 8 and 12 years, while males mature later, typically 10–15 years, and only become reproductively active during musth, a condition marked by heightened aggression and elevated testosterone. Estrus cycles occur every 14–16 weeks, and conception usually follows a single copulation event. Gestation lasts about 22 months, the longest of any land mammal, after which a single calf weighing 90–120 kg is born. Calving intervals average 4–5 years, reflecting the extensive maternal investment required. Newborns are nursed for 2–3 years, during which they remain close to the mother and learn foraging and social behaviours. All herd members assist in calf protection, and juveniles stay with the natal herd for life, while males eventually disperse to seek breeding opportunities.

The IUCN classifies the Asian elephant as Endangered, with a global population estimated at 40,000–45,000 individuals, fragmented into more than 20 isolated subpopulations. Primary threats include rapid habitat loss and degradation from agricultural expansion, infrastructure development and logging, which reduce available foraging area and force elephants into human‑dominated landscapes. Human‑elephant conflict results in crop raiding, property damage and retaliatory killings, accounting for an estimated 2,000–3,000 elephant deaths annually. Illegal poaching for ivory, skin and meat persists despite international bans, particularly in parts of India, Myanmar and Indonesia. Climate change exacerbates water scarcity, further stressing populations. Conservation actions focus on expanding and connecting protected areas, establishing wildlife corridors, community‑based conflict mitigation, anti‑poaching patrols, and transboundary cooperation under the Asian Elephant Conservation Action Plan, which aims to stabilize and eventually increase population numbers.

• Asian elephants have a gestation period of about 22 months, the longest of any land animal.
• Their trunks contain over 40,000 muscles, allowing precise movements such as picking up a single blade of grass.
• Unlike African elephants, Asian elephants have only one finger‑like projection at the tip of the trunk.
• They can communicate using infrasound below 20 Hz, which travels several kilometres through dense forest.
• An adult Asian elephant can consume up to 300 kg of vegetation and drink up to 200 L of water each day.