Asiatic elephant vs Shingled Hedgehog

Elephas maximus compared with Sarcodon imbricatus

Key Differences

• Asiatic elephant is Endangered while Shingled Hedgehog is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Asiatic elephant	Shingled Hedgehog
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Thelephorales (Thelephorales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Bankeraceae
Genus	Elephas (Asian Elephants)	Sarcodon
Species	Elephas maximus	Sarcodon imbricatus

Conservation Status

Asiatic elephant

EN — Endangered

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Shingled Hedgehog

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Asiatic elephant	Shingled Hedgehog
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.

Shingled Hedgehog

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.