Éléphant de savane vs herbe papillon

Loxodonta africana compared with Heliotropium indicum

Key Differences

• Éléphant de savane is Vulnerable while herbe papillon is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Éléphant de savane	herbe papillon
Kingdom	Animalia (animal)	Plantae (plante)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (mammifères)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Boraginales (Boraginales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Heliotropiaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Heliotropium
Species	Loxodonta africana	Heliotropium indicum

Conservation Status

Éléphant de savane

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

herbe papillon

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Éléphant de savane	herbe papillon
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.

herbe papillon

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (14 countries), Asia (11 countries), North America (6 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, Micronesia), and South America (6 countries).

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.