How Much Do Elephants Eat in a Day?

Elephants are famous for their appetite. An adult elephant can eat anywhere from 100 to 300 pounds (45 to 136 kg) of food a day and drink up to 50 gallons (189 litres) of water, depending on its size, age, health and activity level.

Quick facts

• Food per day: 100–300 lb (45–136 kg) for an adult elephant
• Water per day: up to 50 gallons (189 litres)
• Main diet: grasses, leaves, fruit and bark

What elephants eat

Elephants eat a wide variety of plants, including grasses, leaves, fruit and bark. At an elephant sanctuary their daily diet is built around grasses such as Napier grass and Bana grass, which are sweet and full of nutrients, along with fruit. Read more about what elephants eat at a sanctuary.

Why they need so much food

Plants are bulky and relatively low in energy, and elephants absorb only part of the nutrients in what they eat. To fuel such a large body they spend a big part of each day feeding, and they need plenty of clean water to stay healthy and cool.

What changes how much an elephant eats

• Size and age
• Health
• Activity level
• How much food is available in its environment
• Its individual metabolism

Feeding older elephants

As elephants age, their nutritional needs change. Older elephants may need a diet that is higher in fibre and lower in protein and energy, to support a slower metabolism and avoid weight gain. Caretakers work with a veterinarian or animal nutritionist to find the right diet for each elephant, and make sure older elephants always have access to plenty of clean water.

Feeding time at Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary

Visitors can help prepare the elephants’ food. In the Elephant Cooking Activity you mix steamed rice, rice bran, ripe mangoes, ripe bananas and a pinch of salt into a meal that supports their digestion, then feed it to the elephants yourself. Find out how the day works in our visitor guide.