African elephant
An African elephant is a large plant-eating mammal recognised by its trunk, tusks and broad ears.
3.3 mShoulder heightLife in proportion
African elephant vs Giraffe
What are they, and what does the difference actually look like?
Two things. One honest scale.
Meet the pair
What these two things are
Giraffe
A giraffe is an African mammal distinguished by its extremely long neck and legs, feeding mainly on tree leaves.
5 mHeightGiraffe is about 1.52 times as tall as African elephant.
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African elephant3.3 mShoulder height
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Giraffe5 mHeight
Both marked spans share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its proportions; poses and surface detail are illustrative.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
African elephant
An adult male African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana). This specimen is 3.3 m at the shoulder and 5,000 kg; neither is a species average. Female elephants are generally smaller.
University of Michigan — African bush elephant
The marked shoulder height is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Giraffe
A chosen adult male at 5 m standing height and 1,000 kg. Species, sex and age affect both measurements.
The marked height is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Change the comparison
Put something else beside it.
Measurement details
Why these numbers?
The visual compares shoulder height with height. The records below preserve each value’s basis and caveats.
African elephant
3.3 mShoulder height · representative · range 3.2 m–4 m
An adult male African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana). This specimen is 3.3 m at the shoulder and 5,000 kg; neither is a species average. Female elephants are generally smaller.
Giraffe
5 mHeight · defined specimen
A chosen adult male at 5 m standing height and 1,000 kg. Species, sex and age affect both measurements.
- Comparing
- Shoulder height ↔ Height
- Relative size
- Giraffe is larger on this measurement by a factor of about 1.52. Giraffe's selected measurement is approximately 51.5% greater than African elephant's.
How to read the visual
The labelled spans and stored measurements determine the scale; unmeasured illustration details do not.
- African elephant uses a 3.3 m central value within a recorded range of 3.2 m–4 m.
- African elephant is labelled representative; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.
- Giraffe is labelled defined specimen; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
Living thingsAfrican elephant3.3 mAn African elephant is a large plant-eating mammal recognised by its trunk, tusks and broad ears.Living thingsGiraffe5 mA giraffe is an African mammal distinguished by its extremely long neck and legs, feeding mainly on tree leaves.
PeopleHuman1.75 mA human is a primate of the species Homo sapiens, distinguished by habitual upright walking, language and complex tool use.
Living thingsBlue whale25 mA blue whale is a baleen whale that feeds by filtering small animals from seawater.
TransportFamily car4.5 mA family car is a motor vehicle designed to carry several passengers and their belongings.
Living thingsHoneybee1.5 cmA honeybee is a social insect that lives in a colony and gathers nectar and pollen from flowers.Side by side
Another point of view.
