African elephant vs Hairy Water Lily

Loxodonta africana compared with Nymphaea pubescens

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Hairy Water Lily is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Hairy Water Lily
Kingdom	Animalia (حيوانات)	Plantae (نباتات)
Phylum	Chordata (حبليات)	Magnoliophyta (كاسيات البذور)
Class	Mammalia (ثدييات)	Magnoliopsida (ماغنولانية)
Order	Proboscidea (خرطوميات)	Nymphaeales (نيلوفريات)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Nymphaeaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Nymphaea
Species	Loxodonta africana	Nymphaea pubescens

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Hairy Water Lily

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Hairy Water Lily
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	65 years	—
Average Length	6.0 m	—
Average Weight	6.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

African elephant

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Hairy Water Lily

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

African elephant

The largest land animal on Earth, African elephants can reach 7,000 kg and inhabit sub-Saharan savannas, forests, and wetlands. Highly intelligent with complex social structures led by matriarchs, they communicate through infrasound, rumbles, and touch. As ecosystem engineers, they shape habitats by uprooting trees, digging waterholes, and dispersing seeds. Vulnerable, with populations declining due to ivory poaching and habitat loss.