Q:
What Is the Biggest Elephant?
A:
Quick Answer
The African elephant, or loxodont, is the largest living elephant species. Adult African elephants can stand more than 12 feet tall and can weigh over 14,000 pounds.
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Full Answer
African elephants can be distinguished from the smaller Indian elephants by their ears, which are larger in relation to their size; by their backs, which are concave rather than convex; and by their trunks, which have two finger-like extensions instead of one. The famous "Jumbo," a circus elephant owned by American showman P. T. Barnum, was a male African elephant standing 11 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 13,000 pounds. Most circus and zoo elephants are Indian elephants, which can be up to 11 feet tall and weigh up to 13,000 pounds.
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