The typical shoulder height of an adult male African bush elephant is about 3.2 meters. Mature bulls are commonly reported at roughly 3.04 to 3.36 meters at the shoulder, making 3.2 meters a fair rounded figure for a quiz answer.
Shoulder height is measured vertically from the ground to the highest point of the shoulder, not to the top of the head or raised trunk. This distinction matters because an elephant’s back and head can make visual estimates misleading. Adult males are substantially larger than females, which average about 2.5 to 2.7 meters at the shoulder.
The African bush elephant, Loxodonta africana, is the largest living land animal. Fully grown bulls typically weigh several tonnes, with average body masses often given in the range of 5.2 to 6.9 tonnes under favourable conditions. Growth varies with age, food supply, habitat and individual genetics.
The largest carefully measured bulls exceed the usual range. A well-measured Angolan bull was estimated at about 3.96 meters tall, while exceptional historical claims are treated cautiously because carcass posture and measurement methods can inflate apparent height. Thus, 3.2 meters describes the typical adult male, not the species’ maximum.