The Asian elephant is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its scientific name is Elephas maximus, and it is the only living species in the genus Elephas. The classification reflects a severe long-term decline rather than simply the species’ population size at one particular moment.
The IUCN assessment notes that the Asian elephant population has declined by at least 50% over roughly three generations, estimated at about 60–75 years. Major pressures include habitat loss, fragmentation, conflict with people, and poaching. As forests and migration routes are converted for agriculture, roads, railways, and settlements, elephants increasingly come into contact with farms and villages.
Endangered is one level below Critically Endangered in the IUCN system. The species is not classified as Vulnerable or Near Threatened, and its CITES status is a separate legal framework: Asian elephants are listed in CITES Appendix I, which generally provides the highest level of restriction on international commercial trade. Conservation challenges also vary among India, Sri Lanka, mainland Southeast Asia, and Sumatra, where populations face different local threats.