African elephant vs Great Cormorant/European Shag

Loxodonta africana compared with Phalacrocorax carbo

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Great Cormorant/European Shag is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Great Cormorant/European Shag
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Suliformes (Suliformes)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Phalacrocoracidae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Phalacrocorax
Species	Loxodonta africana	Phalacrocorax carbo

Evolutionary Relationship

African elephant and Great Cormorant/European Shag share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Great Cormorant/European Shag

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Great Cormorant/European Shag
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.

Great Cormorant/European Shag

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Israel), Europe (7 countries), and North America (United States).

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.

Great Cormorant/European Shag

Great Cormorant/European Shag (Phalacrocorax carbo) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.