Shades of grey: how to tell African elephant species apart

From their ears, tusks and legs to their family lifestyles and habitats, here are the key differences

• African elephant recognised as two separate species - both endangered

There are now three recognised species of elephant - the Asian elephant, the African savanna elephant and the African forest elephant.

All three are recognised as threatened with extinction after an important revision to the red list", where the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) compiles a regularly updated assessment of at-risk plants and animals.