African bush elephant – Loxodonta africana
The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the larger of the two species of African elephant. Both it and the African forest elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African elephant, but recent evidence has seen the forest elephant classified as a distinct species (although this status is not conclusively accepted due to a gradual reduction in elephant size between savanna and forest environments). Some authorities still consider the currently available evidence as insufficient for splitting African elephants into two species. The African bush elephant is the largest and heaviest land animal on earth, being up to 4 m tall at the shoulder (a male shot in 1974). On average, males are 3.3 metres (10.8 ft) tall at the shoulder and 5.5 tonnes (12,130 lb) in weight, while females are much smaller at 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) tall and 3 tonnes (6,610 lb) in weight.