Éléphant de savane vs loutre, loutre deurope

Loxodonta africana compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Éléphant de savane is herbivore while loutre, loutre deurope is carnivore.
• Éléphant de savane is 600.0x heavier than loutre, loutre deurope.
• Éléphant de savane lives longer (65 years vs 10 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Éléphant de savane	loutre, loutre deurope
Kingdom same	Animalia (animal)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (mammifères)	Mammalia (mammifères)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Carnivora (carnivores)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Loxodonta africana	Lutra lutra

Evolutionary Relationship

Éléphant de savane and loutre, loutre deurope share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (mammifères)

Conservation Status

Éléphant de savane

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

loutre, loutre deurope

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Éléphant de savane	loutre, loutre deurope
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	65 years	10 years
Average Length	6.0 m	1.0 m
Average Weight	6.0 t	10.0 kg

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.

loutre, loutre deurope

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

loutre, loutre deurope

Sleek semi-aquatic mustelid found along clean rivers, streams, and coastlines across Europe and Asia. European otters can reach 1.3 meters in length and are highly skilled fish hunters, using sensitive whiskers to detect prey movements. Requiring unpolluted water with abundant fish, they are an indicator species for freshwater ecosystem health. Once nearly extinct in Western Europe from hunting and pollution, populations have recovered significantly following water quality improvements.