One of the most important species of elephant in the world is the African elephant. It is a native to Africa, but its numbers have fallen to a point where it is now Critically Endangered. The African elephant is still considered one of the largest of all elephants, but it is a species that is rapidly vanishing. There are only around 30,000 of these beautiful creatures left in the wild.
Savanna elephants
African savanna elephants are a large species of elephant, which are found in open grasslands and woodlands across Africa. They are the largest land animal on earth and can weigh up to 10 tonnes.
African savanna elephants are threatened by poaching for the illegal ivory trade. Their populations have been declining over the last 50 years. However, conservation efforts and legislation are helping to preserve some of their subpopulations. The latest assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) shows that the African savanna elephant is Endangered, and the forest elephant is Critically Endangered.
These classifications reflect the IUCN’s most comprehensive inventory of extinction risk for these iconic species. In addition, the classifications are the first to recognize the African elephant as two distinct species, despite a long history of treatment as a single species.
New genetic studies have revealed that both the savanna elephant and the forest elephant are actually different species. These new findings have prompted the IUCN to reclassify the two.
The IUCN’s decision to officially classify the two as separate species is a big step towards protecting the world’s most endangered animal. As part of its update to the Red List of Threatened Species, the IUCN has reclassified the two as Endangered and Critically Endangered.
Ivory poaching
African elephants have been listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, as a result of ivory poaching. The assessment is the first to be carried out since Africa’s elephants were formally categorized as two separate species.
The reclassification has been made as part of an update of the Red List of Threatened Species. This is an important move because it identifies the African forest elephant as an acutely endangered species.
African elephant populations have been falling by 60 to 80 percent. According to the new IUCN assessment, this loss has been caused by habitat loss, hunting, and poaching.
Forest elephants are among the world’s slowest reproducing mammals. They are unique to the dense forests of the Congo Basin. These forests are crucial for the survival of the elephants. However, habitat destruction and illegal ivory trade are major threats to the forest elephants.
Over the past 30 years, the forest elephant population has been declining by more than 80%. In addition, there are fewer trees and shrubs in the area, which reduces the space for reproduction.
Although some populations have recovered, poaching continues to threaten the forest elephants. Combined with their slow reproductive rate, this means that it will take decades before they recover.
Ecology
Elephants in Africa have declined in numbers over the past few decades. This is due to habitat loss, poaching and the demand for ivory. While conservation efforts have been successful across the continent, the future of African elephants is in jeopardy. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has determined that the ecology of African elephants is now Endangered and Critically Endangered.
According to the IUCN, the number of elephants in Africa has dropped by 60 to 80 percent since 1965. In addition, the population of forest elephants in Central Africa has dropped by 86 percent since 1984. Sadly, poaching has also contributed to the decline, with estimates that poachers have killed 80,000 forest elephants in Central Africa since 2001.
A team of six assessors led by Dr Kathleen Gobush, an elephant specialist, conducted a comprehensive study on the ecology of African elephants. They evaluated data collected from the 1960s, and used a fully data-driven modelling approach. It was their findings that led to the classification of African elephants as two species, one of which is critically endangered and the other of which is endangered.
The researchers studied many aspects of the elephants, including their behavior and nutrition, as well as their movement. One of the more interesting studies investigated their interactions with other animals and humans. Another study focused on their vocal communication.
