Éléphant de savane vs Aigle royal

Loxodonta africana compared with Aquila chrysaetos

Key Differences

• Éléphant de savane is Vulnerable while Aigle royal is Near Threatened.
• Éléphant de savane is herbivore while Aigle royal is carnivore.
• Éléphant de savane is 1200.0x heavier than Aigle royal.
• Éléphant de savane lives longer (65 years vs 30 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Éléphant de savane	Aigle royal
Kingdom same	Animalia (animal)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (mammifères)	Aves (oiseau)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Aquila (True Eagles)
Species	Loxodonta africana	Aquila chrysaetos

Evolutionary Relationship

Éléphant de savane and Aigle royal share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Éléphant de savane

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Aigle royal

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Éléphant de savane	Aigle royal
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	65 years	30 years
Average Length	6.0 m	85 cm
Average Weight	6.0 t	5.0 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.

Aigle royal

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

Aigle royal

Among the most powerful and widely distributed raptors in the world, golden eagles have wingspans reaching 2.2 meters and inhabit mountainous terrain across the Northern Hemisphere. Supreme aerial hunters, they use soaring flight and steep dives at speeds over 200 km/h to capture rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, and occasionally young deer and foxes. In many cultures they have been central to falconry traditions spanning millennia.