African elephant vs Brittle Willow

Loxodonta africana compared with Salix fragilis

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Brittle Willow is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Brittle Willow
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Salicaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Salix
Species	Loxodonta africana	Salix fragilis

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Brittle Willow

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Brittle Willow
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.

Brittle Willow

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Europe (16 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Argentina).

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.

Brittle Willow

The Brittle Willow (Salix fragilis) is a species in the genus Salix. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.