African buffalo vs Asiatic elephant

Syncerus caffer compared with Elephas maximus

Key Differences

• African buffalo is Near Threatened while Asiatic elephant is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African buffalo	Asiatic elephant
Kingdom same	Animalia (hewan)	Animalia (hewan)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (mamalia)	Mammalia (mamalia)
Order	Artiodactyla (Hewan berkuku genap)	Proboscidea (Elephants)
Family	Bovidae (Bovids)	Elephantidae (Elephants)
Genus	Syncerus	Elephas (Asian Elephants)
Species	Syncerus caffer	Elephas maximus

Evolutionary Relationship

African buffalo and Asiatic elephant share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (mamalia)

Conservation Status

African buffalo

NT — Near Threatened

Asiatic elephant

EN — Endangered

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African buffalo	Asiatic elephant
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	60 years
Average Length	—	5.5 m
Average Weight	—	4.0 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

African buffalo

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Asiatic elephant

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

African buffalo

The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a species in the genus Syncerus. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. This species inhabits Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Asiatic elephant

Smaller than its African cousin, Asiatic elephants range across South and Southeast Asian forests and grasslands from India to Indonesia. Distinguished by their smaller ears, rounded back, and a single finger-like projection on the trunk tip. Deeply interwoven with Asian cultures, they have been used in religious ceremonies and as working animals for millennia. Endangered, with fewer than 50,000 remaining in the wild.