Black Elder vs Komodo Dragon

Sambucus nigra compared with Varanus komodoensis

Key Differences

Black Elder is Least Concern while Komodo Dragon is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Elder	Komodo Dragon
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Dipsacales (Dipsacales)	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)
Family	Viburnaceae	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)
Genus	Sambucus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)
Species	Sambucus nigra	Varanus komodoensis

Conservation Status

Black Elder

LC — Least Concern

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Elder	Komodo Dragon
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	30 years
Average Length	—	2.6 m
Average Weight	—	70.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black Elder

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 10 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (11 countries), Asia (6 countries), Europe (15 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (4 countries), and South America (5 countries).

Komodo Dragon

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 4 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Indonesia. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Black Elder

The Black Elder (Sambucus nigra) is a species in the genus Sambucus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 10 distinct biome types. Populations are also fou. Widely distributed across Africa (11 countries), Asia (6 countries), Europe (15 countries), North America (Canada, Unite...