African elephant vs Middelburg Cycad

Loxodonta africana compared with Encephalartos middelburgensis

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Middelburg Cycad is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Middelburg Cycad
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum	Chordata (cordados)	Tracheophyta
Class	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Cycadopsida (Cycadopsida)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Cycadales (Cycadales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Zamiaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Encephalartos
Species	Loxodonta africana	Encephalartos middelburgensis

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Middelburg Cycad

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Middelburg Cycad
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.

Middelburg Cycad

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.