Final answer:
Asian elephants, which experience the highest mortality rates later in life, exhibit a Type I survivorship curve, indicative of species that provide significant parental care and have lower mortality rates during their early and middle years.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Asian elephants, which exhibit the highest death rate late in life, are best described by a Type I survivorship curve. This curve is characterized by low mortality among the young and middle-aged individuals and higher mortality rates in older age groups.
The Type I curve applies to species that typically produce fewer offspring but provide substantial parental care, increasing the chances of the offspring's survival. Humans and most mammals, including Asian elephants, display this type of survivorship curve. In contrast, a Type II curve represents relatively constant mortality rates throughout an organism's life, and a Type III curve represents high mortality rates in early life but lower rates for those who survive to older ages.