African elephant vs Australian treefern

Loxodonta africana compared with Dicksonia antarctica

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Australian treefern is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Australian treefern
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Tracheophyta
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Cyatheales (Cyatheales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Dicksoniaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Dicksonia
Species	Loxodonta africana	Dicksonia antarctica

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Australian treefern

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Australian treefern
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.

Australian treefern

Habitat

Typically found in moist, shaded forest floors and tropical canopies.

Range

Distributed across Ireland, Portugal, and United Kingdom.

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.

Australian treefern

The Australian treefern (Dicksonia antarctica) is a species in the genus Dicksonia. Typically found in moist, shaded forest floors and tropical canopies. Dicksonia antarctica contributes to the biodiversity of its native ecosystems.