Buckelwal vs Common Yellow Oxalis

Megaptera novaeangliae compared with Oxalis stricta

Key Differences

Buckelwal is Vulnerable while Common Yellow Oxalis is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Buckelwal	Common Yellow Oxalis
Kingdom	Animalia (สัตว์)	Plantae (พืช)
Phylum	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Magnoliopsida (พืชใบเลี้ยงคู่)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Oxalidales (อันดับกระทืบยอด)
Family	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)	Oxalidaceae
Genus	Megaptera (Humpback Whales)	Oxalis
Species	Megaptera novaeangliae	Oxalis stricta

Conservation Status

Buckelwal

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~80.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Common Yellow Oxalis

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Buckelwal	Common Yellow Oxalis
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	50 years	—
Average Length	15.0 m	—
Average Weight	30.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Buckelwal

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Yellow Oxalis

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Georgia, Turkey), Europe (33 countries), and North America (Canada, United States).

Buckelwal

Among the most acrobatic of the great whales, humpback whales are renowned for their complex, haunting songs sung by males during breeding season — some lasting hours and evolving over time. Reaching 16 meters and 30 tonnes, they undertake the longest migrations of any mammal. Found in all oceans, humpbacks feed on krill and small fish using cooperative bubble-net feeding. Populations have largely recovered from historic whaling.

Common Yellow Oxalis

<em>Oxalis stricta</em>, the common yellow oxalis or upright yellow wood sorrel, is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant in the family Oxalidaceae. It is native to North America but has been widely naturalized across Europe, Asia, Australia, and other temperate regions, where it occurs as a common weed of gardens, cultivated land, roadsides, and disturbed ground. The plant typically grows 10–40 cm tall and produces trifoliate clover-like leaves with three heart-shaped leaflets that fold downward at night or under bright sunlight, a response known as nyctinasty. Bright yellow five-petaled flowers are borne on slender stalks from spring through autumn. Seed pods explode at maturity to disperse seeds over short distances, contributing to the plant's effectiveness as a colonizer. Biological traits such as precise average lifespan and body measurements remain poorly documented in consolidated literature. <em>Oxalis stricta</em> contains oxalic acid, which gives the plant a sour taste and can be mildly toxic to livestock in large quantities. It provides nectar for small pollinators. The species has not been formally evaluated for IUCN conservation status but is abundant and widespread globally, with no conservation concerns.