African elephant vs Big Hop Clover

Loxodonta africana compared with Trifolium campestre

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Big Hop Clover is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Big Hop Clover
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Fabaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Trifolium
Species	Loxodonta africana	Trifolium campestre

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Big Hop Clover

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Big Hop Clover
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.

Big Hop Clover

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 7 distinct biome types.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa, Zimbabwe), Asia (Japan, South Korea), Europe (9 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (4 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

Big Hop Clover

The Big Hop Clover (Trifolium campestre) is a species in the genus Trifolium. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 7 distinct biome types.