African elephant Facts
The African elephant is a large plant-eating mammal of the genus Loxodonta, which has two living species: the African bush elephant and the smaller African forest elephant.
- Class
- Mammal
- Scientific name
- Loxodonta
About the african elephant
Two species share the African elephant name. The bush elephant is the bigger of the pair, and the forest elephant is smaller. Both are social herbivores with gray skin, but you can tell them apart by their tusks, which differ in size and color, and by their ears and skulls, which vary in shape and size.
Fossils of Loxodonta species turn up in Africa from the Late Miocene, around 7 to 6 million years ago, onward. Today both species face serious trouble. As of 2021, the IUCN Red List rated the bush elephant endangered and the forest elephant critically endangered. Habitat loss and fragmentation keep shrinking their space, and poaching for the illegal ivory trade goes on in several of the countries where they live.
Did you know?
- The name Loxodonta refers to the lozenge-shaped enamel on these elephants' molar teeth.
- Loxodonta is one of only two surviving genera in the elephant family, Elephantidae.
- The bush elephant's scientific name is L. africana, and the forest elephant's is L. cyclotis.
Questions about the african elephant
What do African elephants eat?
Both species are herbivores, so they eat plants.
Are African elephants endangered?
Yes. As of 2021, the bush elephant was rated endangered and the forest elephant critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Sources
- Wikidata Q185038, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: African elephant, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.