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., 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. Let’s explore why the age elephants live to is reducing:, Elephants have the longest known period of gestation of any mammal. That period ranges from between 18 and 22-months for Asian elephants and 22-months for the African species., Life expectancy of an elephant in captivity can vary dramatically with the conditions in which they are kept, but some studies estimate that wild elephants live more than twice as long as, 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..