Asiatic elephant vs Bonnet hammerhead

Elephas maximus compared with Sphyrna tiburo

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Asiatic elephant	Bonnet hammerhead
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Sphyrnidae (Hammerhead Sharks)
Genus	Elephas (Asian Elephants)	Sphyrna (Hammerhead Sharks)
Species	Elephas maximus	Sphyrna tiburo

Evolutionary Relationship

Asiatic elephant and Bonnet hammerhead share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Asiatic elephant

EN — Endangered

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Bonnet hammerhead

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Asiatic elephant	Bonnet hammerhead
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	60 years	—
Average Length	5.5 m	—
Average Weight	4.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Asiatic elephant

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Bonnet hammerhead

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Asiatic elephant

Smaller than its African cousin, Asiatic elephants range across South and Southeast Asian forests and grasslands from India to Indonesia. Distinguished by their smaller ears, rounded back, and a single finger-like projection on the trunk tip. Deeply interwoven with Asian cultures, they have been used in religious ceremonies and as working animals for millennia. Endangered, with fewer than 50,000 remaining in the wild.

Bonnet hammerhead

The Bonnet hammerhead (Sphyrna tiburo) is a species in the genus Sphyrna. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.