Éléphant de savane vs Sainfoin Crête-de-coq

Loxodonta africana compared with Onobrychis crista-galli

Key Differences

Éléphant de savane is Vulnerable while Sainfoin Crête-de-coq is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Éléphant de savane	Sainfoin Crête-de-coq
Kingdom	Animalia (animal)	Plantae (plante)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (mammifères)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Fabaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Onobrychis
Species	Loxodonta africana	Onobrychis crista-galli

Conservation Status

Éléphant de savane

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Sainfoin Crête-de-coq

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Éléphant de savane	Sainfoin Crête-de-coq
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	65 years	—
Average Length	6.0 m	—
Average Weight	6.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Éléphant de savane

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.

Sainfoin Crête-de-coq

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, France, Netherlands, and United Kingdom.

Éléphant de savane

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.

Sainfoin Crête-de-coq

Cockscomb sainfoin (Onobrychis crista-galli) is a low-growing annual or short-lived perennial legume in the family Fabaceae, closely related to Onobrychis caput-galli and similarly characteristic of calcareous, well-drained grasslands, rocky slopes, and disturbed ground in western Europe, including Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The species name crista-galli — Latin for cock's crest — refers to the distinctive winged, crest-like shape of the seed pods, which function as a burr-like dispersal mechanism attaching to the fur of passing mammals or to clothing. The plant bears pinnate leaves and erect racemes of small pink to red pea flowers from late spring through midsummer. It favours dry, open habitats on limestone or chalk substrates and is often associated with ancient grassland communities, roadside verges, and quarry spoil. Like other western European calcareous grassland specialists, it has declined in abundance with the intensification of agriculture, widespread application of herbicides, and the loss of traditional low-intensity grazing and hay-cutting regimes that maintained the open, short-turf communities it requires. Despite these pressures, the species retains populations across much of its range. It is Not Evaluated on the IUCN Red List globally, though national conservation assessments in some countries classify it as scarce or declining. Restoration of calcareous grassland management practices is beneficial for this and many associated plant species.