Typically when we imagine an elephant's habitat, the mental image conjured up is one of rolling plai...

1. Facts About Elephants: Where Do Elephants Live?
Typically when we imagine an elephant's habitat, the mental image conjured up is one of rolling
plains and endless grasses. In reality elephants live in many different countries and environments,
including such extremes as deserts and swamps! Their adaptable nature leaves them able to survive
in many different places in the wild, but also means they can comfortably live in their non-native
countries when in captivity.
Which countries do elephants live in?
In the wild, elephants live on two continents: Africa and Asia. This is, funnily enough, where the
subspecies names "African elephants" and "Asian elephants" come from. Complicated stuff!
There are two main subspecies among African elephants: forest elephants and bush (savanna)
elephants. Forest elephants can mostly be found in western and central regions of Africa whereas
bush elephants are found in eastern and southern regions. African elephants live wild in the
following countries:
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo
CÏOEte d'Ivoire
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia

2. Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Liberia
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Namibia
Nigeria
Niger
Rwanda
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Asian elephants are found in the eastern, southern and southeastern parts of Asia.
Bangladesh

3. Bhutan
Borneo
Cambodia
China
India
Lao PDR
Malaysia
Myanmar
Nepal
Sri Lanka
Sumatra
Thailand
Vietnam
Elephants are currently living in captivity all over the world in zoos and circuses, although there is
growing pressure in some countries to reduce or stop such captivity.
What sort of habitat do elephants live in?
Since elephants eat a lot of different types of plants, it is relatively easy for them to find suitable
food in lots of different types of environment. You'll find elephants living comfortably in all of the
following habitats:
Grassland
Grasslands have a dry climate for long periods in the summer, with freezing temperatures in winter.
Contains grasses and other herbs, and is affected by droughts, occasional fires, and grazing by large
animals, all of which stop larger plants and trees growing.
Woodland
Woodland is mostly covered by a dense growth of trees and shrubs. Unlike a forest, woodlands have
a large and open canopy which lets sunlight through.
Forests
Tropical forests cover a land area of 0.5 hectares or more, and have a dense growth of trees, shrubs
and undergrowth. The canopy is continuous and multi-layered, so not much sunlight gets through
and there's a lot of shade. The plant and animal species in a forest are highly diverse.

4. Savannas
Savanna is often used to refer to a transitional area between
grassland and forest, with coarse grass and scattered tree
growth. Typically has a dry season between June and
November, and a wet season from October to December and
March to June.
Wetlands
The term "wetlands" includes swamps where
the plant life is dominated by trees, and
marsh where the plant life is mostly grasses.
Both exist in areas with poor drainage, so that
the area remains waterlogged.
African vs Asian elephant habitats
Asian elephant habitats
Asian elephants are mostly found in grassy
areas, typically at the edge of forests, but
their habitat can vary. They cannot last for
long periods of time without drinking and are therefore limited by having to stay within close
proximity of their water supply.
African elephant habitats
The African forest elephant is mainly found in forests (amazing, the inventiveness of these
names!) and swamps. Their counterpart the African bush elephant can survive for days without
drinking water and is mainly found in forests, deserts, savannas and marshes.