The Asian elephant is the largest of all mammals in Nepal. Its shoulder height varies from 250 to 300cm, and a male elephant can weigh up to 5,000 kg. Elephants have an excellent memory and a long lifespan - similar to that of humans.
Elephants are very sociable. They live in groups of related animals, led by a mature female. Members of the same group communicate with each other using sound, scent and touch.
Elephants are capable of producing infrasonic sounds (low-pitched sounds that fall below the hearing range of humans) that are especially useful for communicating over long distances, since the lower-pitched the sound is, the further the sound waves can travel.
The trunk, which is an elongated nose with nostrils situated at the very end, is a delicate tool. It can be used for a wide array of tasks, from moving heavy tree trunks to picking up objects as small as a peanut. The Asian elephant has a single "finger" on the upper lip of the trunk.
In constant conflict with humans
The Asian elephant is endangered, mainly because of habitat loss: most suitable habitats have been turned into fields and human settlements. There are approximately 30,000 Asian elephants in the wild - less than one tenth the number of African elephants.
In addition, there are about 16,000 captive elephants throughout southern Asia which are mostly used as working animals. In the protected areas of Terai, tame elephants also play a key role in work to patrol the landscape in search of poachers.
