To what area are elephants indigenous?

African elephants are indigenous to Sub-Saharan Africa as well as the Sahel desert in Mali and the African rainforests while Asian elephants originated in Iraq and Syria, but now are found in India, China and Vietnam. Elephants found in other areas of the world have been relocated due to human interest or other purposes.

African and Asian elephants look similar to one another, but African elephants feature larger ears that expel heat, helping them to endure the extreme heat found in the African desert. Additionally, African elephants are more difficult to train and domesticate than their Asian counterparts. Asian elephants have experienced extreme population depletion, partially because of their value to hunters.