🐘 African elephant vs Asian elephant 🐘
The African elephant is about one and a half times as tall as the Asian elephant. The African elephant is a bit heavier than the Asian elephant.
| Row | 🐘 African elephant | 🐘 Asian elephant |
|---|---|---|
| Top speed Neither has a checked number yet. | no checked number yet | no checked number yet |
| Weight The African elephant is a bit heavier than the Asian elephant. | 6 tons5.4 tonnes1 | 3 to 6 tons2.8 to 5.4 tonnes2 |
| Lives The African elephant lives a bit longer than the Asian elephant. | 56 years56 years3 | 47 years47 years2 |
| Eats Both eat plants. | grass, leaves, bark, roots and fruit | grasses, leaves, bark, roots and fruit |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | the savannas and bush of Africa south of the Sahara | forests and grasslands of India and Southeast Asia |
Which one? African elephant or Asian elephant
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the African elephant or the Asian elephant yet, so there is no race.
We only race. Real animals mostly avoid each other. A race is the only fair contest: who reaches the tree first, by top speed.
Compare two more
Getting the animals ready…
📤 Share this pair
The link carries only the two animals’ names: peabody.kids/animals/compare/african-elephant-vs-asian-elephant
Where these numbers come from
- Smithsonian Institution, "Africa's Elephant Kingdom" educator guide (PDF), checked 30 October 2026.
- Smithsonian's National Zoo, checked 30 October 2026.
- Federal Register (US Fish and Wildlife Service), checked 30 October 2026.