Ringelgans vs Buckelwal

Branta bernicla compared with Megaptera novaeangliae

Key Differences

• Ringelgans is Not Evaluated while Buckelwal is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Ringelgans	Buckelwal
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Aves (Vögel)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Anseriformes (Gänsevögel)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Anatidae	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)
Genus	Branta	Megaptera (Humpback Whales)
Species	Branta bernicla	Megaptera novaeangliae

Evolutionary Relationship

Ringelgans and Buckelwal share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordatiere)

Conservation Status

Ringelgans

NE — Not Evaluated

Buckelwal

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~80.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Ringelgans	Buckelwal
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	15.0 m
Average Weight	—	30.0 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

Ringelgans

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (8 countries) and North America (United States).

Buckelwal

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 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Ringelgans

Brant (Branta bernicla) is classified as Not Evaluated (NE) on the IUCN Red List. Not yet evaluated against IUCN Red List criteria. Conservation status remains to be determined.

Buckelwal

Among the most acrobatic of the great whales, humpback whales are renowned for their complex, haunting songs sung by males during breeding season — some lasting hours and evolving over time. Reaching 16 meters and 30 tonnes, they undertake the longest migrations of any mammal. Found in all oceans, humpbacks feed on krill and small fish using cooperative bubble-net feeding. Populations have largely recovered from historic whaling.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden