Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis)
Found primarily in the dense rainforests of Central and West Africa, forest elephants are smaller than their savanna cousins and have rounder ears. They also have straighter tusks and more compact bodies.
Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta Africana)
Often simply called the African elephant, this species is the largest of all elephants. They are typically found in the savannas and forests of sub-Saharan Africa.
Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)
Native to Southeast Asia, the Asian elephant is smaller than the African savanna elephant and has smaller, rounded ears. They are often domesticated and used in labor, ceremonies, and tourism in countries like India, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.
Borneo Elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis)
A subspecies of the Asian elephant, the Borneo elephant is found only in the rainforests of Borneo, Malaysia. These elephants are smaller than other Asian elephants, with a unique, more wrinkled skin and shorter, straighter tusks.
The Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) is the largest subspecies of the Asian elephant, native to Sri Lanka. It has larger ears and more distinct tusks and is critically endangered due to habitat loss and human-elephant conflict.