Like most other elephants, the life cycle of an Asian elephant is typically divided into three

distinct stages of maturity. These three distinct stages of maturity are the baby, the adolescent

and the adult elephant, all occurring over the approximate six decades of an elephant's

lifespan. (4)

 

The elephant is a calf(baby) from birth to anywhere from five to ten years of age. For the first 3

to 5 years of this period of time, Asian elephant calves are totally dependent on their mothers

for food, hygiene, and migration. This period is used by the rest of the herd to teach the calf

everything it will need to survive on its own. These include the usage of their trunk for hygiene

and obtaining food. The calf is born after a gestation period of 22 month). The calves are usually

born about 2 months after it starts to rain in the region, meaning that vegetation is lush and

plentiful. (4)

 

The elephant is an adolescent from five to ten years of age to about seventeen. During this age,

the elephant approaches physical adulthood, and becomes vastly more self-sufficient. They start

to behave more independently, and break away from the main herd. (4)

 

The elephant is an adult from eighteen years of age to whenever they die. At this point, the

elephant is a physical and mental adult, and is fully-grown. They usually start to reproduce at 20

years of age, and are incapable of doing so once they reach 50 years of age. Adult Asian

elephants tend to suffer from age-related illnesses also present in human beings, such as

arthritis and cardiovascular issues. As they approach the end of their life cycles, their hides

usually are subject to de-pigmentation. (4)