What is the Difference Between Male and Female Elephants?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚There are several differences between male and female elephants, including size, forehead shape, tusks, and social behavior. Some of the most notable differences are:
- Size: Male elephants are generally larger than female elephants. Full-grown males are quite noticeably larger than their full-grown female counterparts.
- Forehead Shape: Female elephants have an angle to their forehead, while male elephants have a rounded forehead.
- Tusks: Female elephants have thinner and more pointed tusks that grow forwards. Male elephants have thicker tusks that may split or point outwards to the side.
- Social Behavior: Male elephants are less sociable and tend to roam on their own or in small groups. They leave their breeding herd around age 13 or 14 when puberty sets in. Female elephants, on the other hand, generally remain strongly bonded and stay in breeding herds with their relatives in the natal herd, which are usually female-led.
- Posture: Male elephants tend to hold their heads above their shoulders, while female elephants let their heads hang lower and below the peak of their shoulder blades.
By observing these differences, it is possible to distinguish between male and female elephants.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Male and Female Elephants? Comparative Table: Male vs Female Elephants
Comparative Table: Male vs Female Elephants
Here is a table summarizing the differences between male and female elephants:
Characteristic | Male Elephants | Female Elephants |
---|---|---|
Size | Larger, with full-grown males averaging 10.5 feet (3.2 meters) tall | Smaller, with full-grown females averaging 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall |
Head Shape | Broader between the forehead and eyes | Blockier forehead |
Sexual Maturity | Reach sexual maturity between 12 and 15 years, but start breeding in mid to late teens | Sexually mature and begin breeding at 14 years old |
Social Structure | Less sociable, tend to roam on their own or in small groups | More sociable, live in breeding herds with relatives and led by an elder female |
Reproduction | Males put on a display by flapping their ears to attract females | Females usually run away from males before mating begins |
Aggression | More aggressive | Less aggressive |
Tusks | Generally longer | Tusks are smaller |
These differences are primarily observed in fully grown adult elephants. Juveniles have less pronounced differences, making it more challenging to tell them apart.
Read more:
- African Elephants vs Asian Elephants
- Elephant vs Mammoth
- Male vs Female
- African Elephant vs Indian Elephant
- Male vs Female Kangaroo
- Male vs Female Frogs
- Male vs Female Fish
- Male vs Female Rabbits
- Male vs Female Turtles
- Male vs Female Dogs
- Male vs Female Cats
- Male vs Female Guinea Pigs
- Male vs Female Goldfish
- Men vs Women
- Male vs Female Ducks
- Male vs Female Skeleton
- Male vs Female Fetus
- Guys vs Girls
- Girls vs Boys