African elephant vs Common Hawthorn

Loxodonta africana compared with Crataegus monogyna

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Common Hawthorn is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Common Hawthorn
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum	Chordata (cordados)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Rosales (Roses & Allies)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Crataegus
Species	Loxodonta africana	Crataegus monogyna

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Common Hawthorn

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Common Hawthorn
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	65 years	—
Average Length	6.0 m	—
Average Weight	6.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

African elephant

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.

Common Hawthorn

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (India), Europe (9 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Argentina, Chile, Colombia).

African elephant

O elefante africano, o maior animal terrestre da Terra, pode atingir 7.000 kg e habita savanas, florestas e zonas húmidas da África subsaariana. Com estruturas sociais complexas lideradas por matriarcas, comunica através de infrassons, rugidos e contacto físico. Como engenheiro do ecossistema, modela o habitat arrancando árvores, escavando poços de água e dispersando sementes. Está classificado como Vulnerável (VU), com populações em declínio devido à caça furtiva de marfim e à perda de habitat.

Common Hawthorn

The common hawthorn, <em>Crataegus monogyna</em>, is a flowering shrub or small tree belonging to the family Rosaceae. This species has one of the widest distributions of any hawthorn, with its range encompassing Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, reflecting both its native Eurasian distribution and extensive introduction worldwide. <em>Crataegus monogyna</em> is typically found in hedgerows, woodland edges, scrubland, and disturbed habitats across a broad range of temperate climates. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating widespread and stable populations. The species produces white flowers in spring and small red berries, known as haws, in autumn, which provide important food resources for birds and other wildlife. No dietary information has been provided for this species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.