African elephant vs giraffe

Loxodonta africana compared with Giraffa camelopardalis

Key Differences

• African elephant is 5.0x heavier than giraffe.
• African elephant lives longer (65 years vs 25 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	giraffe
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (cordados)	Chordata (cordados)
Class same	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Artiodactyla (Artiodátilos)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Giraffidae (Giraffes)
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Giraffa (Giraffes)
Species	Loxodonta africana	Giraffa camelopardalis

Evolutionary Relationship

African elephant and giraffe share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (mamíferos)

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

giraffe

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~117.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	giraffe
Diet	Herbivore	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	65 years	25 years
Average Length	6.0 m	5.5 m
Average Weight	6.0 t	1.2 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.

giraffe

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Ecuador. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

giraffe

A girafa (Giraffa camelopardalis) é o animal terrestre mais alto da Terra, podendo atingir 5,5 metros de altura e pesar até 1.750 kg. Seu pescoço alongado, contendo as mesmas sete vértebras cervicais de todos os mamíferos, evoluiu para se alimentar de acácias nas savanas e bosques africanos. Animal social que vive em manadas soltas sem vínculos permanentes, comunica-se por infrassons e linguagem corporal. Vulnerável, com populações em declínio devido à perda de habitat e à caça ilegal.