African elephant vs Common Morning Glory

Loxodonta africana compared with Ipomoea purpurea

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Common Morning Glory is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Common Morning Glory
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Solanales (Solanales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Convolvulaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Ipomoea
Species	Loxodonta africana	Ipomoea purpurea

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Common Morning Glory

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Common Morning Glory
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 Morning Glory

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (15 countries), Asia (15 countries), Europe (25 countries), North America (4 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia).

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 Morning Glory

Common Morning Glory (<em>Ipomoea purpurea</em>) is a fast-growing annual vine in the genus <em>Ipomoea</em>, family Convolvulaceae. It is among the most widely distributed members of its family, occurring across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, with confirmed presence in countries including Albania, Angola, Armenia, Australia, and Austria, among dozens of others spanning 15 African nations, 15 Asian nations, 25 European nations, and multiple countries in the Americas and the Pacific. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions, it commonly grows in disturbed areas, roadsides, agricultural margins, and gardens. The species bears large, trumpet-shaped flowers typically in shades of purple, pink, or white, that open in the morning and close by afternoon. Its conservation status has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN. In many parts of the world outside its native Central American range, <em>Ipomoea purpurea</em> is considered a naturalized or invasive species. Specific biological trait measurements are not documented in available records.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇰🇪 Kenya