Ancient Indian Elephant
Palaeoloxodon namadicus
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Chordata
Mammalia
Proboscidea
Elephantidae
Palaeoloxodon
Palaeoloxodon namadicus
The Giant of the Indian Subcontinent, Palaeoloxodon namadicus, was the mightiest land mammal ever to walk the Earth. Towering over all other elephants, it ruled the plains and river valleys of Pleistocene India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia. Its immense tusks and colossal frame made it both an awe-inspiring presence and a key shaper of its environment.
Description
Palaeoloxodon namadicus, commonly known as the Asian Straight-Tusked Elephant, was one of the largest land mammals to have ever existed. Standing up to 5.2 meters at the shoulder and weighing between 11 to 22 tonnes, it surpassed even the largest known terrestrial mammals in size. Its most distinctive features were its long, straight tusks, which could reach lengths of up to 3.66 meters and weigh over 120 kilograms. The skull of P. namadicus was more robust compared to modern elephants, with a well-developed parieto-occipital crest. This species primarily inhabited the Indian subcontinent during the Middle to Late Pleistocene epoch, approximately 20,000 years ago. Its diet consisted mainly of grasses and other vegetation, similar to modern elephants.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
22000
5.2
7.8
10
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Herbivores – Grazers
Hunt History
Early humans in South Asia, including members of the Homo erectus and Homo sapiens lineages, likely encountered and sometimes hunted Palaeoloxodon namadicus. While direct evidence of systematic hunting is scarce, cut-marked bones from related elephant species in the Narmada and Ganges basins indicate scavenging or opportunistic kills. The use of fire and cooperative hunting may have contributed to population pressure, alongside environmental shifts during the late Pleistocene.
Archaeological Evidence:
Narmada Valley, India (~100,000 years ago): Fossils found alongside Acheulean stone tools attributed to early humans.
Godavari Basin, India (~70,000 years ago): Elephant bones with potential butchery marks associated with late Pleistocene human activity.
Son Valley, Madhya Pradesh (~40,000 years ago): Late-surviving populations near human habitation zones, suggesting overlap before extinction.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
40000
BP
Late Pleistocene
Africa
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
8
Est. Renderable Fat
1440
kg
Targeted Organs
Marrow, brain, visceral fat
Adipose Depots
Visceral (perirenal/mesenteric), limited subcutaneous; marrow, brain lipids
Preferred Cuts
Long-bone marrow & braincase
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
5