Pygmy Elephants Found to Be Distinct Subspecies

Elephants on the island of Borneo, believed to be the smallest in the world, have been reclassified as a distinct subspecies after new genetic tests, a wildlife official said.

Intestinal cells collected from elephant dung were sent for genetic testing at Columbia University in New York, where researchers found that the Borneo herd separated from their Asian cousins 300,000 years ago.

The Borneo elephants -- called Pygmy elephants -- are smaller and have larger ears, longer tails and straighter tusks than typical Asian elephants.