African elephant vs Common Iora

Loxodonta africana compared with Aegithina tiphia

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Common Iora is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Common Iora
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Aegithinidae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Aegithina
Species	Loxodonta africana	Aegithina tiphia

Evolutionary Relationship

African elephant and Common Iora share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Common Iora

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Common Iora
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.

Common Iora

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.

Common Iora

<em>Aegithina tiphia</em>, commonly known as the common iora, is a small passerine bird in the family Aegithinidae. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The species is recorded in Norway and occupies a variety of aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environmental zones, reflecting its use of diverse habitats including gardens, forests, mangroves, and scrubland across South and Southeast Asia. The common iora is notable for the striking breeding plumage of males, which display bright yellow and black coloration. It typically forages in tree canopies, gleaning insects from foliage. Diet information beyond general insectivory is not available in current records. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.