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.
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.
