There are two large types of elephants found on Earth today. These are generally separated by continents and are the African and the Asian elephants. However it is important to note that within these two larger families of elephant there are different subspecies that have different characteristics and geographical distributions. There are currently two different subspecies for the African elephant and four formal subspecies for the Asian variety.
The two African subspecies are called the bush elephant and the forest elephant. The former largely makes its home out on the African savannah. The African species are considerably larger than their Asian counterparts, weighing as much as 7 tons, towering at 12 feet. These animals tend to travel together in herds (often 12 to 20 members) although rogue elephants do exist as well. African elephants can eat as much as 600 lbs. of food every day and form close emotional bonds within their herd and family units.
The four official subspecies of the Asian elephant are the Borneo, Indian, Sri Lankan and Sumatran, although there is some scientific speculation that there may be a fifth subspecies. The Borneo elephant is also referred to as the pygmy elephant. They weigh on average 6 tons. As their African relatives, Asian elephants form close bonds and emotional relationships. Additionally, they also tend to become accustomed to human presence and do rather well in captivity-related environments.
Unfortunately, elephants in both Asia and Africa face severe challenges to their ecosystems and survival. As it was centuries ago, elephants are still hunted for their ivory tusks. Additionally, the habitats of these creatures have changed dramatically in some areas due to deforestation, human presence and other factors. These developments have caused the Asian elephant in particular to seek new spaces in Indonesia and Nepal. It is these problems that lead many organizations and preservationists the world over to strive for new protective efforts, laws and practices.