Being the largest land-living animal, your expectations of an elephant’s weight will surely be high, and rightfully so. Typically, there are three types of elephants, namely Asian, African Forest, and the African Savanna (Bush) – all three have a significant weight difference from each other.
The weight of an Asian elephant can range between 5,000 to 11,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms and 4,989 kilograms, respectively). Their counterparts, the African elephants, inhabit the wild regions of Africa and can weigh between 5,000 to a whopping 14,000 pounds or more.
In this article, we will cover the differing weights of baby elephants and different elephant species.
How Much Do Different Elephants Weigh?
Since there are three kinds of elephants, not only will there be a difference between the types but also their genders.
Let’s see the weight difference between each elephant.
1. Asian Elephants
A fully grown Asian elephant can weigh between 2,700 to 5,440 kilograms (3 and 6 tons or 6,000 and 12,000 lb.), while their female counterparts weigh slightly less.
Male Asian elephants have an average weight of 5,221 kilograms (11,500 lbs) but may increase to 6,810 kilograms (15,000 lbs).
The female version of the Asian elephant averages 3,465 kilograms (7,700 pounds) and may grow to 4,050 kilograms (9,000 pounds).
On average, Asiatic elephants weigh 2,000 pounds less than their African cousins. However, the largest Asian elephant – the Srilankan Elephant, or Elephants maximus, is said to have reached weight above the 12,000-pound mark.
2. African Forest Elephants
African Forests, or Loxodonta Cyclotis, are also called the “mega gardeners of the forest” – given the high carbon-content food they eat.
The weight difference between males and females is quite significant here.
Generally, a male African Forest weighs between 4,000 to 7,000 kgs (8,800 – 15,400 lb), while their female counterparts weigh just 2,000 to 4,000 kilograms (4,400 – 8,800 lb).
The average weight of male African Forests is 7,500 kilograms or 16,500 pounds, while the female averages around 3,000 kilograms, or 6,600 pounds.
3. African (Bush) Savanna Elephants
Also referred to as Loxodonta Africana, these elephants are the largest living mammals.
The male version can weigh about 13,000 lbs or 5,900 kilograms, while the female counterparts weigh up to 6,600 lbs or 3,000 kilograms.
When these elephants become fully-grown adults, they can increase their weight to 11.5 U.S. tons (10,432 kgs or 23,000 lbs).
The largest African elephant ever lived is said to have weighed a whopping 10,886 kilograms or 24,000 pounds.
How Much Do Baby Elephants Weigh When Born?
The average weight of a newly-born elephant or calf is around 120 kilograms (264 lbs or 0.13 U.S. tons).
However, African calves are an exception, with a weight of 163 kilograms (360 lbs or 0.18 U.S. tons) during birth.
Like all other animals, elephants also undergo a noticeable change in size and weight from birth to adulthood.
However, since there are three categories of elephants currently, let’s look at all of them one by one.
1. Baby Asian Elephants (200-250 lbs)
When an Asian baby elephant or calf begins life, it can weigh between 200 and 250 lbs (91 – 114 kilograms). However, in some cases, the calf may weigh as little as 150 lbs (68 kilograms).
Sometimes, these baby elephants can break the traditional average weight.
On May 12, 2020, Houston Zoo welcomed a newly-born Asian elephant that was said to weigh over 326 pounds or 148 kilograms.
2. Baby African Forest Elephants (230 lbs)
The African Forest elephants are smaller in weight than their cousins, African Bush. However, they outweigh Asian elephants.
An African Forest calf weighs around 232 lbs or 105 kilograms at birth.
3. Baby African Bush Elephants (360 lbs)
A male baby, or African Savanna calf, can weigh up to 360 lbs or 163 kilograms at birth. However, the average weight for these elephants rests at 260 lbs or 118 kilograms.
Not bad for a baby elephant.
Final Thoughts On Elephant Weight
Elephants are the largest living mammal species on earth. They’re typically divided into three groups which are the Asian, African Bush, and African Forest elephants – all three contain different weight capacities.
Asian elephants are considered smaller than their African counterparts – by a factor of 2,000 pounds.
Male Asian elephants can weigh 5,000 to 11,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms and 4,989 kilograms), while their African counterparts can weigh anywhere around 5,000 to a whopping 14,000 pounds or even more.
FAQs
What Is the Weight of One Elephant?
There is no specific weight of an elephant since they’re distributed into three categories, namely Asian, African Bush, and African Forest. African elephants are considered 2,000 pounds heavier than Asian elephants. The Asian elephants can weigh between 5,000 and 11,000 pounds, while their African counterparts may weigh 5,000 to 14,000 pounds or more.
Do Elephants Have Teeth?
Elephants are categorized as herbivores, and their diet includes vegetation such as tree bark, grasses, small plants, bushes, twigs, fruits, and roots. An elephant eats around 7% of its body fat per day. Therefore, to consume meals in such a high proportion, elephants are equipped with tusks – excluding these tusks, elephants also have four sets of teeth that help them chew.
What Is the Heaviest Thing an Elephant Can Lift?
Since elephants are the largest living mammals on earth, they also have strength like one. The maximum weight capacity that an elephant can carry is around 9,000 kilograms (9.9 U.S. tons or 20,000 lbs) – a weight equivalent to that of 130 adult humans!
