giraffe vs Great White Pelican

Giraffa camelopardalis compared with Pelecanus onocrotalus

Key Differences

• giraffe is Vulnerable while Great White Pelican is Not Evaluated.
• giraffe is herbivore while Great White Pelican is carnivore.
• giraffe is 120.0x heavier than Great White Pelican.
• Great White Pelican lives longer (30 years vs 25 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	giraffe	Great White Pelican
Kingdom same	Animalia (حيوانات)	Animalia (حيوانات)
Phylum same	Chordata (حبليات)	Chordata (حبليات)
Class	Mammalia (ثدييات)	Aves (طيور)
Order	Artiodactyla (مزدوجات الأصابع)	Pelecaniformes (بجعيات)
Family	Giraffidae (Giraffes)	Pelecanidae
Genus	Giraffa (Giraffes)	Pelecanus
Species	Giraffa camelopardalis	Pelecanus onocrotalus

Evolutionary Relationship

giraffe and Great White Pelican share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (حبليات)

Conservation Status

giraffe

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~117.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Great White Pelican

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	giraffe	Great White Pelican
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	25 years	30 years
Average Length	5.5 m	1.6 m
Average Weight	1.2 t	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

giraffe

Habitat

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

Range

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

Great White Pelican

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (9 countries).

giraffe

The tallest living animal on Earth, giraffes can reach 5.5 meters in height and weigh up to 1,750 kg. Their elongated necks — containing the same seven cervical vertebrae as all mammals — evolved for feeding on acacia trees in African savannas and woodlands. Social animals living in loose herds with no permanent bonds, giraffes communicate through infrasound and body language. Vulnerable, with populations declining due to habitat loss and poaching.

Great White Pelican

One of the world's largest pelicans, great white pelicans have wingspans reaching 3.6 meters and inhabit shallow lakes and wetlands across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Social birds breeding in large colonies and foraging cooperatively — groups of pelicans corral fish into shallow water before scooping them in their expandable throat pouches. Their pouches can hold up to 13 liters of water. Listed as Least Concern globally with stable populations.