Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth — and the biggest of them all, the African bush elephant, can tip the scales at six tons or more. But weight varies a lot by species and sex, and the record-holders are heavier still. Here’s exactly how much an elephant weighs, how tall they stand, and the story of the biggest elephant ever recorded.
The short answer: an African bush elephant weighs about 6 tons (13,000 lb) for an adult male and ~3 tons for a female. Asian elephants average 4–5 tons, and the smaller African forest elephant 2–4 tons.
How much does an elephant weigh?
Weight depends on the species and whether it’s a bull (male) or cow (female). Here are the averages for fully grown adults:
| Species | Adult male (avg) | Adult female (avg) | Shoulder height |
|---|---|---|---|
| African bush elephant | ~6 tons (13,000 lb / 6,000 kg) | ~3 tons (6,600 lb) | Up to 10.5 ft (3.2 m) |
| Asian elephant | ~4–5 tons (9,000–11,000 lb) | ~2.7 tons (6,000 lb) | 6.5–11.5 ft (2–3.5 m) |
| African forest elephant | ~2–4 tons (4,400–8,800 lb) | ~2 tons | 8 ft (2.4 m) |
That makes the African bush elephant the heaviest land animal alive. For how they differ in other ways, see the three species of elephant.
How much does an elephant weigh in tons?
In tons, an adult African bull elephant averages about 6 metric tonnes — roughly 6.6 US (short) tons. Asian elephants come in around 4–5 tonnes. To put six tonnes in perspective, that’s about the weight of four mid-size cars.
At around six tons, a single African bull elephant outweighs four family cars combined.
How tall is an elephant?
African bush elephants stand up to 10.5 feet (3.2 m) at the shoulder — and the tallest on record reached over 13 feet. Asian elephants are shorter and rounder-backed, at roughly 6.5–11.5 feet. Unlike many animals, male elephants keep growing for much of their lives, so the biggest bulls are also the oldest.
What is the biggest elephant ever recorded?
The largest elephant ever documented was a colossal African bush bull shot in Angola in 1955 (the “Fénykövi elephant,” now mounted in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History). It weighed an estimated 11 tons (around 24,000 lb) and stood 13 feet 2 inches at the shoulder — heavier than a Tyrannosaurus rex.
How much does a baby elephant weigh?
Even newborns are huge: an elephant calf weighs 200–265 pounds (90–120 kg) at birth and stands about 3 feet tall. From there it grows for decades. Learn more in our guides to baby elephants and how long elephants are pregnant.
The bottom line
An average elephant weighs about 6 tons (African bush bull) down to ~2 tons for a small forest elephant — making elephants the heaviest land animals on the planet, with record bulls topping 11 tons. Keep exploring: what elephants eat to fuel that bulk, how long they live, and how they compare to mammoths.
Frequently asked questions
An adult African bush elephant weighs about 6 tons (13,000 lb) for a male and ~3 tons for a female. Asian elephants average 4–5 tons; African forest elephants 2–4 tons.
Around 6 metric tonnes (about 6.6 US tons) for an African bull — roughly the weight of four cars. Asian elephants are about 4–5 tonnes.
An African bush elephant shot in Angola in 1955 (the Fénykövi elephant at the Smithsonian), estimated at about 11 tons and 13 ft 2 in at the shoulder.
African bush elephants stand up to 10.5 ft (3.2 m) at the shoulder; Asian elephants are shorter at roughly 6.5–11.5 ft.
A newborn elephant calf weighs about 200–265 lb (90–120 kg) and stands roughly 3 feet tall.
