Éléphant de savane vs Grande Naïade

Loxodonta africana compared with Najas marina

Key Differences

• Éléphant de savane is Vulnerable while Grande Naïade is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Éléphant de savane	Grande Naïade
Kingdom	Animalia (animal)	Plantae (plante)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (mammifères)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Alismatales (Alismatales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Hydrocharitaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Najas
Species	Loxodonta africana	Najas marina

Conservation Status

Éléphant de savane

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Grande Naïade

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Éléphant de savane	Grande Naïade
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.

Grande Naïade

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and deserts and xeric shrublands, among 5 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Neotropic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Sri Lanka, Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), North America (6 countries), and South America (Brazil). Currently classified as Endangered 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.