African elephant vs Gharial

Loxodonta africana compared with Gavialis gangeticus

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Gharial is Critically Endangered.
• African elephant is herbivore while Gharial is carnivore.
• African elephant is 30.0x heavier than Gharial.
• African elephant lives longer (65 years vs 60 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Gharial
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Crocodylia (Crocodilians)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Crocodylidae (Crocodiles)
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Crocodylus (True Crocodiles)
Species	Loxodonta africana	Gavialis gangeticus

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Gharial

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~650

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Gharial
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	65 years	60 years
Average Length	6.0 m	5.0 m
Average Weight	6.0 t	200.0 kg

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.

Gharial

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across India and Nepal. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Gharial

The gharial is a fish-eating crocodilian with a distinctive long, narrow snout. It is critically endangered with fewer than 700 adults.