There are three living species of elephants recognized by most modern scientific and conservation authorities: the African savanna (bush) elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant.[worldwildlife +3] The three main species 1. African savanna (bush) elephant (Loxodonta africana) This is the largest land animal on Earth, found in savannas and grasslands across sub-Saharan Africa. It has large ears shaped like the African continent and both males and females usually have tusks.[britannica +2] 2. African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) Smaller and more compact than the savanna elephant, this species lives in the dense rainforests of Central and West Africa. It has straighter, downward-pointing tusks and rounder ears.[worldatlas +2] 3. Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) Found in South and Southeast Asia, this species is smaller than African elephants and has smaller ears, a more domed head, and usually only males have prominent tusks (many males and most females are tuskless).[thewildlifediaries +2] Subspecies within the Asian elephant The Asian elephant is further divided into several subspecies, commonly recognized as: • Indian (mainland) elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) – widespread in India, Nepal, and parts of Southeast Asia.[worldatlas +1] • Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) – the largest and darkest of the Asian subspecies, found in Sri Lanka.[britannica +2] • Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) – found on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.[thewildlifediaries +2] • Bornean elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis) – sometimes considered a distinct subspecies, living in parts of Borneo (Malaysian and Indonesian Borneo).[seaworld +1]