African elephant vs Kariba weed

Loxodonta africana compared with Salvinia molesta

Key Differences

African elephant is Vulnerable while Kariba weed is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Kariba weed
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum	Chordata (cordados)	Tracheophyta
Class	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Salviniales (Salviniales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Salviniaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Salvinia
Species	Loxodonta africana	Salvinia molesta

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Kariba weed

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Kariba weed
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.

Kariba weed

Habitat

Inhabits flooded grasslands and savannas within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (23 countries), Asia (14 countries), Europe (10 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (5 countries), and South America (Brazil, Colombia, Guyana).

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.