Indian Elephant Elephas maximus indicus, bull crossing bridge at Elephant Valley, Yunnan, China. This individual is one of about 300 Indian Elephant in China. Indian Elephant is a ssp. of Asian Elephant. Range of Asian Elephant extends patchily from Sri Lanka and India to Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia to Sumatra and Borneo. Indian Elephant once ranged across much of south China but is now confined to a few locations in southern Yunnan. One of the most important reserves is Elephant Valley in Xishuangbanna Prefecture. Coordinates of this site: 22.172263, 100.858208. Elevation: 800 m (2,620 ft.). (Craig Brelsford)Indian Elephant, cow with calf, Elephant Valley, Yunnan. (Craig Brelsford)Indian Elephant, immature bull. Elephant Valley (22.172263, 100.858208), Yunnan. (Craig Brelsford)A young Indian Elephant jostles with family members. Elephant Valley (22.172263, 100.858208), Yunnan. (Craig Brelsford)Female Indian Elephant (above) reaches a weight of 4000 kg (8,800 lbs.). Males can weigh up to 5000 kg (11,020 lbs.). Elephant Valley (22.172263, 100.858208), Yunnan. (Craig Brelsford)Indian Elephant calf has bristly hairs along its spine. Indian Elephant bear a single calf, rarely twins, after a gestation period of 18–22 months. At birth calves weigh 100 kg (220 lbs.). (Craig Brelsford)Indian Elephant live in small matriarchal family herds. They make daily visits to their favorite salt licks, mud wallows, and watering holes. (Craig Brelsford)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
MacKinnon, John R. Order Proboscidea (Elephants) in Smith, Andrew T. & Yan Xie, eds. Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, 2013.
Wittemeyer, G., and Llobet, T. Family Elephantidae (Elephants) in All the Mammals of the World. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, 2023.
