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What the sources say

Asian ElephantElephas maximus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Asian Elephant profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 53 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

Plotnik et al. 2011

Plotnik et al. (2011). Elephants know when they need a helping trunk in a cooperative task. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page saysintelligent
The source sayselephants can learn to coordinate with a partner in a task requiring two individuals to simultaneously pull two ends of the same rope to obtain a rewardNote: tags: intelligent (problem-solving)

Source
02

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Asian elephant. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The page saysA boneless trunk with about 150,000 muscle units
The source saysIt contains no bones, but is composed of muscles ... The trunk has about 150,000 muscle units and tendonsNote: tagline
The page saysa pregnancy of nearly two years
The source saysGestation is between 21.5 and 22 monthsNote: tagline; 22 months is under two years. The source's 'longest gestation period for any animal' was cut (frilled shark and alpine salamander gestations are longer)
The page saysrumbles humans can barely hear
The source sayslow-pitched sounds that are barely audible to humans. These powerful infrasonic rumblesNote: tagline
The page saysForests and open grassy glades in India and Southeast Asia
The source saysAsian elephants are found in isolated pockets of India and Southeast Asia, including Sumatra and Borneo. ... Asian elephants are considered forest animals. However, they have been observed to prefer zones that include intermittent open grassy glades.Note: stats.habitat
The page saysMostly grasses, plus leaves, roots, bark and fruit
The source saysThey feed primarily on grasses but also consume large amounts of browse, including leaves, roots, vines, twigs, shoots and bark, as well as fruit.Note: stats.diet
The page saysA trunk with about 150,000 muscle units and tendons
The source saysThe trunk has about 150,000 muscle units and tendonsNote: stats.superpower
The page saysDeadly
The source saysCrop raiding is frequent and can create situations that can lead to elephant deaths, as well as human deaths.Note: stats.dangerLevel
The page saysElephants are the largest living land animals.
The source saysElephants are the largest living land animal.
The page saysAdult Asian elephants weigh on average between 6,000 and 12,000 pounds (2,750 to 5,420 kilograms).
The source saysadult Asian elephants weigh on average between 6,000 and 12,000 pounds (2,750 and 5,420 kilograms)
The page saysThey typically stand 1.8 to 3.8 meters tall at the shoulder.
The source saysThey typically stand 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.8 meters) tall at the shoulder.
The page saysThe trunk is a fusion of the nose and upper lip.
The source saysThe trunk is a fusion of the nose and upper lip.
The page saysIt contains no bones, but it has about 150,000 muscle units and tendons.
The source saysIt contains no bones, but is composed of muscles, blood and lymph vessels ... The trunk has about 150,000 muscle units and tendons
The page saysIt can hold about 2 gallons (7.57 liters) of water.
The source saysIt can hold about 2 gallons (7.57 liters) of water.
The page saysAt the tip sits one small "finger" that aids with precision.
The source saysAsian elephants have one small projection at the end of their trunk, called a "finger," which aids with precision.
The page saysBig ears work as cooling devices too. Flapping them on hot days cools the blood in the ears' veins.
The source saysTheir large ears function as cooling devices. ... As an elephant flaps its ears on hot days, the blood in these veins cools
The page saysAsian elephants are herbivores
The source saysAsian elephants are herbivores
The page saysThey spend about three-quarters of each day eating or moving toward food or water.
The source saysspend about three-quarters of each day eating or moving toward a food or water source
The page saysThey feed primarily on grasses, but they also eat leaves, roots, vines, twigs, shoots, bark and fruit.
The source saysThey feed primarily on grasses but also consume large amounts of browse, including leaves, roots, vines, twigs, shoots and bark, as well as fruit.
The page saysIn the wild an elephant needs about 165 to 330 pounds (74 to 150 kilograms) of food and about 50 gallons (189 liters) of water per day.
The source saysthey must consume great amounts of food, about 165 to 330 pounds (74 to 150 kilograms) per day and about 50 gallons (189 liters) of water per day in the wild
The page saysAn elephant absorbs only about 44 percent of what it eats, so it has to put away huge amounts.
The source saysElephants only assimilate about 44 percent of what they eat. Therefore, they must consume great amounts.Note: 'absorb' is the writer's gloss of assimilate
The page saysWild herds live in isolated pockets of India and Southeast Asia, including Sumatra and Borneo.
The source saysAsian elephants are found in isolated pockets of India and Southeast Asia, including Sumatra and Borneo.
The page saysIndia is home to almost half of the total population of Asian elephants.
The source saysIndia by far has the largest population of elephants for a single country, with almost half of the total population of Asian elephants in the world living within its borders.
The page saysThey count as forest animals, yet they have been seen to prefer zones with intermittent open grassy glades.
The source saysAsian elephants are considered forest animals. However, they have been observed to prefer zones that include intermittent open grassy glades.
The page saysElephants talk in infrasonic rumbles. These are low-pitched sounds that are barely audible to humans.
The source saysElephants communicate over long distances using low-pitched sounds that are barely audible to humans. These powerful infrasonic rumbles
The page saysOther elephants can hear and understand them from more than 2 miles away.
The source sayscan be heard and understood by other elephants more than 2 miles away
The page saysNearly two years
The source saysGestation is between 21.5 and 22 monthsNote: blockquote lead-in; 22 months
The page saysA female Asian elephant carries her calf for between 21.5 and 22 months.
The source saysGestation is between 21.5 and 22 months
The page saysUsually one calf (occasionally two) is born, weighing between 150 and 350 pounds (68 to 158 kilograms).
The source saysUsually one calf (occasionally two) is born and weighs between 150 and 350 pounds (68 to 158 kilograms).
The page saysA grown bull or cow has no enemies except humans. A young elephant is another matter: where the two ranges overlap, tigers attack them.
The source saysAdult bulls and cows have no enemies, except for humans, but young elephants are susceptible to attacks by tigers in the areas where their ranges overlap.
The page saysThe evidence points to a typical lifespan into the mid-50s
The source saysEvidence suggests that Asian elephants typically live into their mid-50s
The page saysthe data on wild Asian elephants is not consistent enough for an accurate estimate
The source saysthere is not enough consistent data available on wild Asian elephants to accurately estimate their lifespan
The page saysThe median life expectancy for females is 47 years
The source saysMedian life expectancy for female Asian elephants is 47 years old.
The page saysCrop raiding is frequent, and it can lead to elephant deaths as well as human deaths.
The source saysCrop raiding is frequent and can create situations that can lead to elephant deaths, as well as human deaths.
The page saysElephant ears contain many blood vessels. When an elephant waves them on a hot day, the blood in those vessels gets cooler.
The source saysThe ears contain many blood vessels. As an elephant flaps its ears on hot days, the blood in these veins cools
The page saysThat cooled blood helps cool the brain and then flows back through the body, which lowers body temperature by several degrees.
The source saysthe blood in these veins cools, which then cools the elephant's brain and travels back through the body, reducing body temperature by several degrees
The page saysTypically into their mid-50s, the evidence suggests, although there is not yet enough consistent data on wild Asian elephants for an accurate estimate.
The source saysEvidence suggests that Asian elephants typically live into their mid-50s, but there is not enough consistent data available on wild Asian elephants to accurately estimate their lifespan
The page saysFemales have a median life expectancy of 47 years.
The source saysMedian life expectancy for female Asian elephants is 47 years old.
The page saysA trunk with no bones
The source saysIt contains no bonesNote: heading
The page saysgiant-size
The source saysElephants are the largest living land animal.Note: tags: giant-size

Source
03

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

AnAge entry for Elephas maximus. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysthe maximum longevity listed in a database of animal lifespans is 79.6 years, in captivity
The source saysMaximum longevity 79.6 years (captivity)
The page saysweightKg: 3178
The source saysAdult weight 3,178,000 gNote: 3,178 kg; Colossal, inside Smithsonian's 2,750 to 5,420 kg

Source
04

Williams et al. 2020

Williams et al. (2020). Elephas maximus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T7140A45818198.

The page saysEndangered
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN).Note: stats.conservationStatus
The page saysThe IUCN Red List lists the species as Endangered.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN).

Source
05

Stoeger et al. 2012

Stoeger et al. (2012). An Asian Elephant Imitates Human Speech. Current Biology.

The page saysResearchers documented a male Asian elephant named Koshik imitating human speech. He put his trunk inside his mouth and matched Korean in such detail that Korean native speakers could understand and transcribe it.
The source sayswe document a male Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ) that imitates human speech, matching Korean formants and fundamental frequency in such detail that Korean native speakers can readily understand and transcribe the imitations. To create these very accurate imitations of speech formant frequencies, this elephant (named Koshik) places his trunk inside his mouth
The page saysOne male Asian elephant named Koshik did. He placed his trunk inside his mouth to shape the sounds.
The source saysthis elephant (named Koshik) places his trunk inside his mouth, modulating the shape of the vocal tract during controlled phonation
The page saysKorean native speakers could understand and write down what he said.
The source saysKorean native speakers can readily understand and transcribe the imitations
The page saysTheir transcriptions showed his imitations corresponded to five Korean words, including "annyong" (hello) and "anja" (sit down).
The source saysanalyzing transcriptions made by 16 Korean native speakers on 47 recordings of Koshik’s utterances ... indicating that Koshik’s speech imitations correspond to the following five words: “annyong” (“hello,” Audio S1 ), “anja” (“sit down,” Audio S2 )
The page saysKoshik the elephant did the same job with his trunk inside his mouth, matching Korean so closely that native speakers could understand and transcribe it
The source saysKorean native speakers can readily understand and transcribe

Source
06

Plotnik, de Waal & Reiss 2006

Plotnik, de Waal & Reiss (2006). Self-recognition in an Asian elephant. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page saysMirror self-recognition has long seemed limited to humans and apes, but researchers who tested three Asian elephants reported a successful study.
The source saysmirror self-recognition (MSR) has long seemed limited to humans and apes ... We exposed three Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) to a large mirror ... Here, we report a successful MSR elephant studyNote: abstract only: kept to what the abstract states (no count of elephants that passed)
The page saysResearchers showed a large mirror to three Asian elephants and put marks on their heads to see whether they would use the mirror to touch them.
The source saysWe exposed three Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) to a large mirror to investigate their responses. ... Visible marks and invisible sham-marks were applied to the elephants' heads to test whether they would pass the litmus "mark test" for MSR in which an individual spontaneously uses a mirror to touch an otherwise imperceptible mark on its own body
The page saysThey reported a successful mirror self-recognition study.
The source saysHere, we report a successful MSR elephant study
The page saysThe skill had long seemed limited to humans and apes.
The source saysMSR has long seemed limited to humans and apes

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.