African elephants are larger; in fact, they’re the largest land animals on Earth.
African elephants can weigh up to 8 tons (7,500 kg) and stand about 10 to 13 feet tall at the shoulder.
Asian (or Indian) elephants are slightly shorter and weigh about 6 tons (5,500 kg).
Probably the easiest way to tell the difference between Asian and African elephants is to compare the size of their ears: the Asian elephant’s ears are much smaller.
People in Asia use elephants for logging and other work purposes.
In Africa, elephants continued to be killed by humans for their ivory tusks.
As humans in both Africa and Asia expand their settlements, both types of elephants are losing places to live.
The Asian elephant is an endangered species, and the African elephant is a threatened species.
International organizations use the term “endangered” to refer to animals and plants currently in danger of becoming extinct.
“Threatened” species are those that are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future if preventive measures are not taken.
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