African elephant vs common rock-rose

Loxodonta africana compared with Helianthemum nummularium

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while common rock-rose is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	common rock-rose
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum	Chordata (cordados)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Malvales (Malvales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Cistaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Helianthemum
Species	Loxodonta africana	Helianthemum nummularium

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

common rock-rose

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	common rock-rose
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 rock-rose

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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 rock-rose

<em>Helianthemum nummularium</em>, the common rock rose, is a low-growing subshrub in the family Cistaceae, order Malvales. It is assessed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and is distributed across Europe, with populations documented in Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Common rock rose typically grows in calcareous grasslands, rocky outcrops, chalk and limestone downlands, and dry heathland habitats with well-drained, nutrient-poor soils. It is a characteristic species of traditionally managed grasslands and is considered a key plant in European chalk grassland communities. The plant produces small but vivid yellow five-petaled flowers from late spring to midsummer, attracting a range of pollinating insects. <em>Helianthemum nummularium</em> is a host plant for the caterpillars of several specialist butterfly species, including the brown argus. Its Near Threatened status reflects the significant loss of calcareous grassland habitat across Europe due to agricultural intensification, scrub encroachment, and land use change. As a plant, biological traits such as lifespan and diet are measured differently than in animals; the species is a perennial subshrub with vegetative spread and seed reproduction. Conservation grazing management is critical for maintaining suitable habitat for this species.