The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest living land animal, weighing up to 8.25 tons (7,500 kilograms) and standing 10 to 13 feet (3 to 4 meters) at the shoulder. The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) weighs about 6 tons (5,500 kilograms) with a shoulder height of 10 feet (3 meters). Other differences are:
| African Elephant |
Indian Elephant |
| Larger ears |
Smaller ears |
| Gestation period of about 670 days |
Gestation period of about 610 days |
| Ear tops turn backwards |
Ear tops turn forward |
| Concave back |
Convex back |
| Three toenails on hind feet |
Four toenails on hind feet |
| Larger tusks |
Smaller tusks |
| Two finger-like lips at tips of trunk |
One lip at tip of trunk |
