Loxodonta africana
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Visit us at: Howletts Wild Animal Park
The African elephant is the largest living terrestrial animal. Bulls can reach 6 tonnes in weight and 4m in height. They can consume more than 250kg of food and 50 gallons of water per day. Howletts own local woodlands, allowing us to harvest huge amounts of food for our herd.
The elephants at Howletts have four large paddocks to choose from with different substrates that naturally help with their foot care; sand, grass, mud and concrete and a deep pond, which they all enjoy.
To find out more about the incredible herd, don’t forget to catch one of our free elephant talks during your visit.
Want to know more?
The African elephant is the largest and most powerful of all living land mammals. Adults can measure up to 11ft high at the shoulder and weigh in excess of 6 tonnes!
Adult African elephants can eat 150kg or more of foliage, grass, small branches and fruit in one day and also drink 135 litres of water!
In the wild, elephants live in herds of related females with their calves led by the oldest cow or ‘matriarch’. Bulls are solitary, leaving the herd at puberty and living in bachelor groups; they join the cows only to mate.
What is an African elephant's lifespan?
Up to 65 years
What does an African elephant weigh?
Bulls: 6 tonnes
Cows: 3 tonnes
How big is an African elephant?
Bulls: 4m tall
Cows: 2.5m tall
Where do African elephants live?
African elephants live in Sub-Saharan Africa in a range of habitat from woodland and savannah to desert.
Diet:
Herbivore
What does an African elephant eat?
Grasses, plants and the leaves, bark and fruits of bushes and trees.
Did you know?
An elephant poos 12 to 15 times a day, producing around 100kgs of manure every day.
Why is the African elephant vulnerable?
The greatest threat faced by elephants in the wild is poaching for ivory, skin and meat. Other concerns include habitat loss and fragmentation and human-elephant conflict over diminishing resources.
Howletts Wild Animal Park
Where to see our elephants
Our elephant herd lives at Howletts Wild Animal Park, nr Canterbury.
Baby elephant born at Howletts Wild Animal Park
Keepers and staff arrived for work at Howletts Wild Animal Park to discover a big surprise: a brand-new elephant calf.
