Deep in the Rainforests of Borneo Lives a Mysterious Elephant Species

by Daileni Torres Cruz, age 10

Borneo, the third largest island in the world, is located in Asia, and is home to the most misunderstood species: the Bornean elephant. Being the smallest Asian elephant, they are smaller than their mainland cousins.

The Bornean elephant is the largest mammal in Borneo. They have tails that can touch the ground depending on how long they grow. Compared to other elephants, they have straighter tusks and bigger ears. They are also known as Borneo pygmy elephants because of their size of 8.2 to 9.8 feet tall.

The elephants are frequently in contact with people and have lost their source of food as the forests are shrinking and causing habitat loss. A lot of Bornean elephants spend time reaching fragmented forest patches. The threat to these elephants is losing their forests. Borneo lost 60% of its elephant habitat due to cultivation.

The Borneo elephant was isolated 300,000 years ago from their cousins in mainland Asia and Sumatra. Although they can be tiny, they are fascinating creatures.

[Sources: World Wildlife Fund; Nature.com; PBS]