The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has announced that African Forest and Savanna elephants are now classified as ‘critically endangered’ and ‘endangered’. This is a significant update from their previous status as a single species considered ‘vulnerable’. The change comes after the IUCN Red List assessed the two elephant species separately for the first time.
About African Elephants
Ranked as Earth’s largest land animals, African elephants assume sizes slightly above their Asian counterparts. African elephants are recognizable by the two fingerlike features at the end of their trunks, unlike Asian elephants with just one such feature.
Elephants societies are matriarchal, with females leading their groups and males leaving upon reaching adulthood. Known as ecosystem engineers, these elephants play a pivotal role in shaping their habitats, impacting both plant and animal communities.
African elephants hold the record for the longest pregnancy period among mammals – almost 22 months. This lengthy gestation coupled with losses from poaching hinders conservation efforts, resulting in inadequate newborn calves.
Subspecies of African Elephants
African elephants consist of two subspecies: the Savanna (or bush) elephant and the Forest elephant. The former is the larger species of the two.
African Savanna Elephant
In the past 50 years, Savanna elephant numbers have declined by 60%. Their scientific name, Loxodonta africana, aptly matches their habitat, the plains of sub-Saharan Africa. The IUCN status for Savanna elephants is ‘Endangered’.
African Forest Elephant
The population of African Forest elephants, scientifically known as Loxodonta cyclotis, has plummeted drastically by 86% over the last 31 years, earning them a ‘Critically Endangered’ status on the IUCN Red List. These elephants are native to the forests of Central and West Africa, a region they rarely share with Savanna elephants. Given their restricted distribution and slower recovery rates than Savanna elephants, their population decline is particularly alarming.
Threats to African Elephants
The most significant threats to these elephants include poaching for illegal ivory trade and habitat loss due to increasing human population, agriculture, and development. There is a correlation between high levels of poverty and corruption and increased rates of poaching. Therefore, providing communities with sustainable livelihood opportunities could alleviate the pressure on elephant populations.
About Asian Elephants
Like their African counterparts, Asian elephants are also endangered as per the IUCN Red List and listed under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I. The three subspecies include the Indian, Sumatran, and Sri Lankan elephants. Estimations place the global population of Asian elephants between 20,000 to 40,000, with the Indian subspecies accounting for the majority spread across the continent. India alone shelters approximately 28,000 elephants, holding a quarter of its total in Karnataka.
