African elephant vs Coastal Jackal-berry

Loxodonta africana compared with Diospyros inhacaensis

Key Differences

African elephant is Vulnerable while Coastal Jackal-berry is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Coastal Jackal-berry
Kingdom	Animalia (动物界)	Plantae (植物)
Phylum	Chordata (脊索动物门)	Magnoliophyta (木兰植物门)
Class	Mammalia (哺乳動物)	Magnoliopsida (木兰纲)
Order	Proboscidea (长鼻目)	Ericales (杜鹃花目)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Ebenaceae
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Diospyros
Species	Loxodonta africana	Diospyros inhacaensis

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Coastal Jackal-berry

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Coastal Jackal-berry
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.

Coastal Jackal-berry

Habitat

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

African elephant

非洲象是地球上体型最大的陆地动物，体重可达7,000千克，栖息于撒哈拉以南非洲的草原、稀树草原和森林中。作为关键种，它们通过挖掘水源、传播种子和改变植被结构，深刻塑造了其栖息地的生态系统。受栖息地丧失和象牙盗猎威胁，非洲象的保护至关重要。

Coastal Jackal-berry

Diospyros inhacaensis, the coastal jackal berry, is a small to medium-sized tree in the family Ebenaceae native to the coastal forests and littoral woodland of eastern Africa, particularly along the coastlines of Mozambique and extending into Tanzania and possibly southeastern Kenya. The genus Diospyros includes the persimmons and the commercially important ebonies valued for their extremely dense, dark heartwood. Diospyros inhacaensis inhabits coastal dune forest, coral rag thicket, and the margin of mangrove swamp systems in the East African coastal zone, tolerating the saline soils and salt-laden air of the littoral environment. The species produces small, fleshy fruits that are consumed by a range of frugivorous birds and small mammals, which disperse seeds through coastal forest habitats. The common name jackal berry is applied to several Diospyros species across Africa whose fruits are consumed by jackals and other carnivores along with primary frugivores. The coastal jackal berry is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though the coastal forests of East Africa are considered among the most threatened ecosystems in Africa, with high rates of clearing for agriculture, charcoal production, and uncontrolled urban expansion that continue to reduce this irreplaceable habitat.