Photo Gallery: Pygmy Elephants at Risk in Borneo

Photo Gallery: Pygmy Elephants at Risk in Borneo
Photo Gallery: Pygmy Elephants at Risk in Borneo
Photo Gallery: Pygmy Elephants at Risk in Borneo
Photo Gallery: Pygmy Elephants at Risk in Borneo
Photo Gallery: Pygmy Elephants at Risk in Borneo
Photo Gallery: Pygmy Elephants at Risk in Borneo
More
News
Photos
Photo Gallery: Pygmy Elephants at Risk in Borneo
<< Previous   3 of 6   Next >>
Found only on the Southeast Asian island it is named after, the Borneo pygmy subspecies (far right) is slightly smaller than mainland Asian elephants (center), which stand 6.6 to 9.8 feet (2 to 3 meters) at the shoulder and weigh 2.25 to 5.5 tons (2,041 to 4,990 kilograms) each. By contrast, African elephants stand 8.2 to 13 feet (2.5 to 4 meters) tall and weigh 2.5 to 7 tons (2,268 to 6,350 kilograms).

The Borneo elephant has a shorter trunk, longer tail, bigger ears, and rounder face than its mainland Asian relatives.

WWF estimates the total Borneo pygmy elephant population at 15,000.

• More Photos in the News
• Today's 15 Most Read Stories
• Free Email Newsletter: Focus on Photography

—Illustration by Miranda Mulligan
 

MOST VIEWED NEWS

"Lost" Amazon Complex Found; Shapes Seen by Satellite

Earliest Known Galaxies Spied in Deep Hubble Picture

PICTURES: Tigers Butchered for Trade at "Zoos" in China
NEWS FEEDS    After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed. After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed.

Get our news delivered directly to your desktop—free.
How to Use XML or RSS




 

50 Drives of a Lifetime

Listen to your favorite National Geographic news daily, anytime, anywhere from your mobile phone. No wires or syncing. Download Stitcher free today.