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What the sources say

African Bush ElephantLoxodonta africana

Every figure, record and mechanism on the African Bush Elephant profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 42 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

IUCN 2021

African elephant species now Endangered and Critically Endangered - IUCN Red List.

The page saysEndangered
The source saysThe African savanna elephant ( loxodonta africana ) is now listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.Note: backs stats.conservationStatus
The page saysThe IUCN only started assessing African elephants as two separate species in 2021, after new genetic evidence emerged. Before that, both were lumped together as one species, listed as Vulnerable
The source saysGland, Switzerland, 25 March 2021 (IUCN) - Following population declines over several decades due to poaching for ivory and loss of habitat, the African forest elephant ( Loxodonta cyclotis ) is now listed as Critically Endangered and the African savanna elephant ( Loxodonta africana ) as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ . Before today’s update, African elephants were treated as a single species, listed as Vulnerable; this is the first time the two species have been assessed separately for the IUCN Red List, following the emergence of new genetic evidence.
The page saysThe forest elephant, *Loxodonta cyclotis*, was placed straight into Critically Endangered
The source saysthe African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) is now listed as Critically Endangered
The page sayscame in one step better at Endangered, but its population has still fallen by at least 60% over the last 50 years
The source saysthe population of African savanna elephants decreased by at least 60% over the last 50 years, according to the assessments
The page saysPoaching for ivory drove much of that decline; it spiked after 2008 and peaked in 2011
The source saysBoth species suffered sharp declines since 2008 due to a significant increase in poaching, which peaked in 2011 but continues to threaten populations.
The page saysTurning elephant habitat into farmland is another serious, ongoing threat
The source saysThe ongoing conversion of their habitats, primarily to agricultural and other land uses, is another significant threat.
The page saysThe African savanna elephant has been listed as Endangered since 2021, when the IUCN assessed it separately from the African forest elephant for the first time
The source saysGland, Switzerland, 25 March 2021 (IUCN) - Following population declines over several decades due to poaching for ivory and loss of habitat, the African forest elephant ( Loxodonta cyclotis ) is now listed as Critically Endangered and the African savanna elephant ( Loxodonta africana ) as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ . Before today’s update, African elephants were treated as a single species, listed as Vulnerable; this is the first time the two species have been assessed separately for the IUCN Red List, following the emergence of new genetic evidence.
The page saysIts population has fallen by at least 60% over the last 50 years, driven by ivory poaching and by farms and other land uses taking over its habitat
The source saysFollowing population declines over several decades due to poaching for ivory and loss of habitat ... the population of African savanna elephants decreased by at least 60% over the last 50 years ... The ongoing conversion of their habitats, primarily to agricultural and other land uses, is another significant threat.
The page saysBefore that, both were lumped together as one species, listed as Vulnerable
The source saysBefore today’s update, African elephants were treated as a single species, listed as Vulnerable

Source
02

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library 2025

African Elephants (Loxodonta africana and L. cyclotis) Fact Sheet. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2025.

The page saysGrasslands, woodlands, forests, scrub, wet marshes, and some arid deserts
The source saysSavanna elephant: Wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, woodlands, lowland rainforests, montane forests, scrub habitats, wet marshes, some arid deserts, etc.
The page saysBulls average about 6,000 kilograms and cows around 2,800 kilograms
The source saysSavanna elephant: Male: 6,000 kg (13,000 lb), on average / Female: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb), on average
The page sayshead-to-body length of 6 to 7.5 metres
The source saysSavanna elephant: 600-750 cm (20-25 ft)Note: 6 to 7.5 m, converted from the source's 600-750 cm
The page saysIn the wild, African elephants likely live about 30 to 40 years
The source saysFor wild populations, life expectancy varies depending on population, sex, amount of poaching pressure, etc. ... likely about 30 to 40 years.
The page saysIn a drought, an experienced matriarch uses what she knows about water and food to lead her herd across long distances
The source saysDuring drought, experienced savanna elephant matriarchs use their knowledge of water and food sources to lead herds across long distances.
The page saysA cow typically waits three to five years before her next calf, and sometimes as long as nine and a half
The source saysSavanna elephant: Typically, about 3 to 5 years (range: 3 to 9.5 years)-but varies between and within populations.

Source
03

San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants

Elephant. San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants.

The page saysLargest land mammal alive
The source saysAfrican elephants are the largest mammals on land.
The page saysmatriarch-led herds
The source saysThe leader of the herd is known as the matriarch; she is usually the oldest and most experienced female in the group.
The page saysA boneless trunk built from around 150,000 muscle fascicles
The source saysThere are eight major muscles on each side of the trunk and 150,000 muscle fascicles (portions of muscles) throughout the entire trunk. There are no bones or cartilage in this unique appendage.
The page saysan adult male, weighed roughly 10,886 kilograms and stood 3.96 metres at the shoulder
The source saysThe largest elephant on record was an adult male African savanna elephant. He weighed about 24,000 pounds (10,886 kilograms) and was 13 feet (3.96 meters) tall at the shoulder!
The page saysa healthy adult's only real threat is people
The source saysA healthy adult elephant's only real threat are people.
The page saysAn elephant's trunk serves as both its upper lip and its nose, and there isn't a single bone or piece of cartilage inside it
The source saysAn elephant’s trunk serves as both an upper lip and a nose. ... There are no bones or cartilage in this unique appendage.
The page sayseight major muscles down each side and around 150,000 muscle fascicles running through the whole structure
The source saysThere are eight major muscles on each side of the trunk and 150,000 muscle fascicles (portions of muscles) throughout the entire trunk.
The page saysstrong enough to pick up large tree trunks and nimble enough to pick up a single piece of straw
The source saysAn elephant's trunk is so strong it can pick up large tree trunks and so agile that it can pick up a single piece of straw.
The page saysAfrican elephants finish the trunk in two finger-like lobes at the tip; Asian elephants have only one
The source saysAfrican elephants (both species) have large ears shaped like the continent of Africa, both males and females have visible tusks, their skin is very wrinkly, their back is swayed, and the end of their trunk works as if they have two fingers there to help them pick things up ... Asian elephants have smaller ears, usually only the males have visible tusks, females have small tusks called "tushes," they only have one "finger" at the end of their trunk, and their back is dome-shaped.
The page saysIt doesn't drink like a straw, either: an elephant sucks water only part way up the trunk, curls it toward its mouth, tilts its head up and lets the water pour in
The source saysthe water doesn’t go all the way up the nose like a straw; instead, the elephant sucks water only part way up the trunk, curls it toward its mouth, tilts its head up, and lets the water from the trunk pour in
The page sayswhen an elephant flaps its ears on a hot day, blood flowing through the many vessels spread across them cools down
The source saysAn elephant's ears work like a radiator. As elephants flap their ears on a hot day, their blood flows through many blood vessels spread throughout their large ears and cools down.
The page saysThe Largest Land Mammal Alive
The source saysAfrican elephants are the largest mammals on land.Note: heading; same fact as the body's first sentence
The page saysThe African savanna elephant is the largest land mammal alive.
The source saysAfrican elephants are the largest mammals on land.
The page saysThe biggest individual ever recorded, an adult male, weighed roughly 10,886 kilograms and stood 3.96 metres at the shoulder.
The source saysThe largest elephant on record was an adult male African savanna elephant. He weighed about 24,000 pounds (10,886 kilograms) and was 13 feet (3.96 meters) tall at the shoulder!
The page saysA herd is usually led by its oldest female, the matriarch
The source saysThe leader of the herd is known as the matriarch; she is usually the oldest and most experienced female in the group.
The page saysSan Diego Zoo counts eight major muscles running down each side plus around 150,000 muscle fascicles, or portions of muscle, through the whole structure
The source saysThere are eight major muscles on each side of the trunk and 150,000 muscle fascicles (portions of muscles) throughout the entire trunk. There are no bones or cartilage in this unique appendage. An elephant's trunk is so strong it can pick up large tree trunks and so agile that it can pick up a single piece of straw.Note: FAQ 1 answer, reworded from the body's version of the same fact
The page saysSan Diego Zoo compares them to a radiator
The source saysAn elephant’s ears work like a radiator.

Source
04

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Loxodonta africana. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysGrasses, leaves, bark, roots, and fruit, browsed and grazed almost continuously through the day
The source saysAfrican elephants have a herbivorous diet consisting of tree foliage, fruits, herbs, grasses, and wood including roots, twigs, and bark. ... African elephants will feed continuously throughout the day, eating opportunistically. ... African elephants are both browsers and grazers.
The page saysLions, wild dogs, hyenas and Nile crocodiles all prey on elephants, but mostly on young ones that lag behind the herd
The source saysWhile lions (Panthera leo), wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), and Nile crocodiles (Crocodilus niloticus) are predators of African elephants, the majority of these predators prey on the young elephants that lag behind the rest of their group.
The page saysMany elephant calls are deep rumbles of about 20 hertz, and elephants can hear one from more than two kilometres away
The source saysMany of their calls are low frequency calls of ca. 20Hz. ... The African elephants can hear one of these calls from over 2km away.
The page saysdeep rumbles of about 20 hertz that other elephants can hear from more than two kilometres away
The source saysMany of their calls are low frequency calls of ca. 20Hz. ... The African elephants can hear one of these calls from over 2km away.Note: vibe.reason (women artists)

Source
05

O'Connell-Rodwell et al. 2004

O'Connell-Rodwell et al. (2004). Elephant low-frequency vocalizations propagate in the ground and seismic playbacks of these vocalizations are detectable by wild African elephants (Loxodonta africana). The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

The page saysrumbles felt through the ground
The source saysLow-frequency elephant vocalizations were reproduced seismically and played back to ... elephant breeding herds in the wild ... Breeding herds detected and responded appropriately to seismically transmitted elephant warning calls.
The page saysrumbles that travel through the ground as well as the air
The source sayspropagate in the ground at different velocities, with the potential of traveling farther than their airborne counterparts
The page saysPart of that signal also travels through the ground, where it has the potential to carry farther than the sound in the air
The source sayspropagate in the ground at different velocities, with the potential of traveling farther than their airborne counterpartsNote: reviewer edit; replaced an unsupported absolute ("never leaves the ground") with what the abstract actually states
The page saysResearchers reproduced African elephant warning calls as seismic vibrations and played them into the earth near wild breeding herds. The herds detected the signal and reacted to it as a warning. The team judged that from the elephants' behaviour, the spacing between herd members and the time they spent at the waterhole
The source saysLow-frequency elephant vocalizations were reproduced seismically and played back to both a captive elephant and to elephant breeding herds in the wild, monitoring the elephants' behavioral responses, spacing between herd members and time spent at the water hole as an index of heightened vigilance. Breeding herds detected and responded appropriately to seismically transmitted elephant warning calls.
The page saysResearchers reproduced African elephant warning calls as seismic vibrations and played them into the ground near wild breeding herds. The herds detected the signal and reacted to it as a warning
The source saysLow-frequency elephant vocalizations were reproduced seismically and played back to both a captive elephant and to elephant breeding herds in the wild, monitoring the elephants' behavioral responses, spacing between herd members and time spent at the water hole as an index of heightened vigilance. Breeding herds detected and responded appropriately to seismically transmitted elephant warning calls.Note: FAQ 2 answer, says "ground" where the body says "earth" for the same fact

Source
06

Soppelsa et al. 2022

Soppelsa et al. (2022). The relationship between distal trunk morphology and object grasping in the African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana). PeerJ.

The page saysIn a study of six African savanna elephants offered food of different shapes (cubes, flat pieces, and long thin ones), half of the elephants changed the shape of the trunk tip to match
The source saysquantified in six female African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana). Three food item types were presented to the elephants (elongated, flat, and cubic) ... Half of the individuals adjusted the shape of the distal part of their trunk according to the object type.

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.