Éléphant de savane vs niaouli

Loxodonta africana compared with Melaleuca quinquenervia

Key Differences

Éléphant de savane is Vulnerable while niaouli is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Éléphant de savane	niaouli
Kingdom	Animalia (animal)	Plantae (plante)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (mammifères)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Myrtales (Myrtales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Myrtaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Melaleuca
Species	Loxodonta africana	Melaleuca quinquenervia

Conservation Status

Éléphant de savane

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

niaouli

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Éléphant de savane	niaouli
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.

niaouli

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests spanning the Afrotropic and Neotropic realms.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (8 countries), Asia (India, Malaysia, Vietnam), Europe (5 countries), North America (18 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (4 countries), and South America (4 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.