Asian elephants are slightly smaller than African elephants, but they are still enormous - adults can weigh up to 5 tonnes, which is about the weight of four large cars. Their ears are smaller and more rounded than African elephants, and their backs are more arched, like a gentle hill.
Elephants live in family groups led by the oldest female, called the matriarch. She knows where the best water sources are, which plants are safe to eat, and which paths lead through the forest. Young elephants learn everything from the adults around them, and they stay with their family for many years.
In Laos, elephants have a long history of working alongside people - helping to carry heavy loads through the thick forest. Today, many conservation groups are helping former working elephants retire to large forest sanctuaries where they can live freely, bathe in rivers, and roam as they choose.
Elephants are extremely intelligent. They remember other elephants and people for many years. They play, grieve, and communicate with each other through deep rumbling sounds too low for human ears to hear easily. Scientists call this 'infrasound', and elephants can send messages to other elephants kilometres away.