African elephant vs

Loxodonta africana compared with Sphingobium abikonense

Key Differences

African elephant is Vulnerable while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Bacteria (Bacteria)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Proteobacteria (Proteobacteria)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Alphaproteobacteria (Alphaproteobacteria)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Sphingomonadales (Sphingomonadales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Sphingomonadaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Sphingobium
Species	Loxodonta africana	Sphingobium abikonense

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant
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.

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Taiwan.

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.

Sphingobium abikonense is a Gram-negative aerobic rod first isolated in Abiko, Japan, capable of degrading xenobiotic compounds. It inhabits contaminated soils and sediments in industrial regions. This chemoheterotrophic bacterium degrades polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds in polluted environments.