African elephant vs Carolina mosquitofern

Loxodonta africana compared with Azolla caroliniana

Key Differences

• African elephant is Vulnerable while Carolina mosquitofern is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Carolina mosquitofern
Kingdom	Animalia (สัตว์)	Plantae (พืช)
Phylum	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Tracheophyta
Class	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)
Order	Proboscidea (อันดับช้าง)	Salviniales (Salviniales)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Salviniaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Azolla
Species	Loxodonta africana	Azolla caroliniana

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Carolina mosquitofern

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Carolina mosquitofern
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.

Carolina mosquitofern

Habitat

Inhabits deserts and xeric shrublands and flooded grasslands and savannas within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Egypt), Asia (Japan, Taiwan), Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada, Cuba, United States), and South America (Brazil, Colombia).

African elephant

The largest land animal on Earth, African elephants can reach 7,000 kg and inhabit sub-Saharan savannas, forests, and wetlands. Highly intelligent with complex social structures led by matriarchs, they communicate through infrasound, rumbles, and touch. As ecosystem engineers, they shape habitats by uprooting trees, digging waterholes, and dispersing seeds. Vulnerable, with populations declining due to ivory poaching and habitat loss.

Carolina mosquitofern

The Carolina Mosquitofern (Azolla caroliniana) is a species in the genus Azolla. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits deserts and xeric shrublands and flooded grasslands and savannas within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.