Living BeingsCompare species
Black-backed Jackal
Lupulella mesomelas
African Savanna Elephant
Loxodonta africana
Evidence from the profiles
Compare their characteristics
| Trait | Black-backed Jackal | African Savanna Elephant |
|---|---|---|
| Physical traits | A dark grizzled back contrasts with reddish sides and a paler underside. | Broad ears, a long trunk and column-like legs give the animal its familiar outline. The trunk tip has two finger-like projections. Both sexes can develop tusks. |
| Habitat and range | Dry and more varied open landscapes can be used, including areas influenced by people. | Savannas and open woodland provide a shifting mixture of browse, grass, shade and drinking water. Seasonal water availability influences the places that herds use. |
| Diet and nutrition | Small vertebrates, carrion, invertebrates and other available foods are eaten. | Grasses, leaves, bark and other plant material make up its diet. The trunk gathers food and moves it to the mouth. |
| Behavior and activity | Foraging can occur alone or cooperatively. Daily timing varies, including shifts toward nighttime near human activity. | Female relatives and their young form long-lasting social groups. Older females hold knowledge of familiar routes and resources; adult males have a different pattern of association. |
| Reproduction and life cycle | Data unavailable | Calves are born alive and depend on milk and extended social care. Learning from other elephants is an important part of growing up. |
| Geographic distribution | The Mammal Diversity Database v2.5 records this species in Angola, Botswana, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe. | Native to sub-Saharan Africa. This account follows the savanna-elephant species concept rather than treating all African elephants as one species. |
| Ecological role | Data unavailable | Feeding and movement alter vegetation, and dung transfers seeds and nutrients. Habitat fragmentation and killing for ivory threaten populations. |
Classification
Shared ancestry
Closest shared taxon: Eutheria.