What Is the Average Lifespan of an Elephant? The average lifespan for Asian elephants is 48 years. African elephants typically make it to 60 or 70. Sadly, zoo-dwelling elephants have the shortest lifespans., African elephants live for 56-70 years in the wild but only live for an average of 17 years while in captivity. Asian elephants live for 40-70 years in the wild but only live for an average of 19 years while in captivity. Some elephants die within a few years of being in captivity., Wild African elephants live 60–70 years, and Asian elephants live 48–60 years; captive lifespans are shorter, averaging 17–19 years. Lifespan depends on species, habitat, and threats like poaching, habitat loss, and disease., Science reports that despite the ages we know elephants are able to live to in the wild, African elephants now actually have an expected lifespan of around 56 years while Asian elephants live around 41. 7 years., But how long do African elephants live? The average life expectancy of an African elephant is around 70 years, while their slightly smaller relative, the Asian elephant, has a life expectancy of, If you’re looking for the simple answer, here it is: African elephants live for around 56 years in the wild. And aside from humans, they are the longest-living land mammals on the planet. But in many ways, asking about the lifespan of elephants is like asking; ‘how long is a piece of string?’..