African Coca-tree vs African elephant

Erythroxylum emarginatum compared with Loxodonta africana

Key Differences

African Coca-tree is Least Concern while African elephant is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African Coca-tree	African elephant
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)	Proboscidea (Elephants)
Family	Erythroxylaceae	Elephantidae (Elephants)
Genus	Erythroxylum	Loxodonta (African Elephants)
Species	Erythroxylum emarginatum	Loxodonta africana

Conservation Status

African Coca-tree

LC — Least Concern

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African Coca-tree	African elephant
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	65 years
Average Length	—	6.0 m
Average Weight	—	6.0 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

African Coca-tree

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and mangrove forests and coastal wetlands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Guinea.

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.

African Coca-tree

The African Coca-tree (Erythroxylum emarginatum) is a species in the genus Erythroxylum. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and mangrove forests and coastal wetlands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

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.