# How much does an elephant weigh?

> African bush elephant bulls can exceed 6,000 kg (6 tonnes); females roughly 3,000 kg. Asian elephants are smaller — bulls around 4,000 kg, females 2,700 kg. Newborn calves weigh about 100 kg. 3 m shoulder height. Cows roughly half. Asian elephants smaller — bulls ~4,000 kg.

**Category:** Wildlife  ·  **Updated:** 2026-07-05

## Key takeaways
- African bush bull up to ~6 tonnes — heaviest land animal.
- Asian elephants smaller — bulls ~4 tonnes.
- Calves ~100 kg at birth.
- Forest elephant separate smaller CR species.
- Poaching removes largest tuskers first.
- Weight drives keystone ecological impact.

## Answer
Weight varies by species, sex, age and food availability. African forest elephants are smaller than bush elephants — separate Critically Endangered species.

Mass supports keystone ecology — elephants create water access and disperse seeds. Poaching removes largest individuals first — skewing population structure.

Vehicle collision with six-tonne animal kills humans and elephants — corridor planning accounts for movement routes, not only park boundaries.

## Species and sex differences
IUCN 2021 split African forest and bush elephants — forest Critically Endangered, bush Endangered. Forest bulls rarely exceed 2.7 tonnes — still massive. Asian elephant Endangered across fragmented range. Sexual dimorphism strong — males much larger with tusks in African bush; Asian males larger tusks variable. Weight fluctuates seasonally with drought and feast — scale estimates use shoulder height and body condition scoring in field research.

## Ecological scale
Six-tonne animal reshapes landscape — pushes trees, creates wallows, disperses seeds kilometres through dung. Keystone role scales with biomass — losing largest individuals disproportionately reduces seed dispersal for large-fruited trees. Vehicle and train collision with elephant kills humans and animals — weight makes stopping distance irrelevant on rural roads through corridors.

## Poaching and tusk size
Ivory poachers target largest tuskers — removing biggest males and old matriarchs skews population age structure. Genetic and social loss exceeds tonnage removed from ecosystem — see how long do elephants live. Anti-poaching and corridor work WARN funds through partners — weight statistics headline species charisma but conservation needs behaviour and connectivity data too.

## Related mammal answers
What is the largest land mammal and how long do elephants live answers complement weight with lifespan and taxonomy. Compare Asian vs African elephant on WARN comparison page for identification and size — donor-facing guides link weight facts to Endangered status both species face.

## FAQ
### How much does an elephant weigh in tons?
African bush bull up to ~6 tonnes; cow ~3 tonnes; Asian bull ~4 tonnes.

### How much does a baby elephant weigh?
About 100 kg at birth — stands within minutes.

### Which elephant is heaviest?
African bush elephant — largest land animal alive.

### Forest vs bush elephant weight?
Forest elephant smaller — separate Critically Endangered species.

### How much do elephants eat daily?
Roughly 150–300 kg vegetation depending species and season.

### Are elephants endangered?
African bush Endangered; forest Critically Endangered; Asian Endangered — IUCN.

## Sources
- [San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — elephant facts](https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org)

Human-readable page: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/answers/how-much-does-an-elephant-weigh