African elephant vs Bare-cheeked Trogon

Loxodonta africana compared with Apaloderma aequatoriale

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Bare-cheeked Trogon is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Bare-cheeked Trogon
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Trogoniformes (Trogoniformes)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Trogonidae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Apaloderma
Species	Loxodonta africana	Apaloderma aequatoriale

Evolutionary Relationship

African elephant and Bare-cheeked Trogon share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Bare-cheeked Trogon

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Bare-cheeked Trogon
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.

Bare-cheeked Trogon

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway.

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.

Bare-cheeked Trogon

The Bare-cheeked Trogon (Apaloderma aequatoriale) is a species in the genus Apaloderma. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.