African elephant vs Bermuda Thistle

Loxodonta africana compared with Argemone mexicana

Key Differences

African elephant is Vulnerable while Bermuda Thistle is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Bermuda Thistle
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Ranunculales (Ranunculales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Papaveraceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Argemone
Species	Loxodonta africana	Argemone mexicana

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Bermuda Thistle

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Bermuda Thistle
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.

Bermuda Thistle

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including flooded grasslands and savannas, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (34 countries), Asia (16 countries), Europe (12 countries), North America (7 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (6 countries), and South America (7 countries).

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.

Bermuda Thistle

The Bermuda Thistle (Argemone mexicana) is a species in the genus Argemone. Found across multiple habitat types including flooded grasslands and savannas, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan realms.