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African Biodiversity Facts
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This Map Shows Where Biodiversity Is Most At Risk In America
Elephants are some of the most beloved mammals on the planet. These “gentle giants” contribute significantly to many ecosystems, especially in Asia and Africa. Unfortunately, these amazing animals now face an uncertain future. Elephant poaching and habitat loss have led to elephant populations declining, with the African savannah elephant recently listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List.
In our latest blog post we examine the characteristics, habitat, diet and family structure of the African savannah elephant and find out why it is so important to protect this incredible species from harm and extinction.
) The major differences between these two species are mainly the habitat, shape and size of the tusk. The savannah elephant is the larger of the two, with adult males weighing between 5,000 and 14,000 pounds (2,268 to 6,350 kg). A male forest elephant weighs around 4,536 kg.
Savannah elephant tusks are long, thick and curved outwards, while forest elephants have straight, downward-pointing tusks that are thinner and more parallel to the ground. Forest elephants have short ears that help them move easily through dense forests.
Both African Elephant Species Endangered And Critically Endangered
As the name suggests, forest elephants stick to dense tropical rainforest habitats. Savannah elephants prefer open grasslands and savannas, choosing to move across vast plains in search of food and water. Unlike their savanna counterparts, forest elephants are a critically endangered species.
When it comes to diet, African elephants eat anything they can get their trunks into. Elephants can travel up to 120 miles a day in search of food, water and shelter, but the average is more than 16 miles. They spend most of the day foraging on their favorite grass, leaves, fruit and tree bark.
These herbivores need large amounts of vegetation to survive and consume about 350 pounds (150 kilograms) of vegetation per day, per elephant! That’s the weight of three queen-sized beds stacked together. Eating, traveling, and trampling help clear wide paths through dense bushes and shrubs, making it easier for smaller animals to cross the savanna. That is why they are sometimes called “ecosystem engineers”. Their dung is also critical to biodiversity, helping to distribute nutrients and seeds to the land so that the bush can regenerate and thrive, supporting all life in the savanna.
Elephants are experts at finding water, often using their tusks to dig deep holes in dry riverbeds and springs, releasing water from deep underground. This process also serves other savannah animals; For example lions, zebras, giraffes and warthogs; During the dry months. They are known to supplement their high fiber diet with additional minerals from termite mounds and mineral licks.
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The largest populations of African savannah elephants are found in the southern and eastern African countries of Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia and South Africa, but they live in a total of 23 countries across Africa. African elephants like to roam for miles across vast landscapes, which has led to conflict with humans who use their habitat for agriculture and settlement – and they don’t want to be trampled by a passing herd of elephants! As a result, elephants’ range has shrunk from three million square miles in 1979 to just over one million square miles in 2007.
African savannah elephants have evolved perfectly to survive and thrive in hot, dry conditions. They can be found in a range of habitats, from deserts to open savannas, grasslands and woodlands.
African elephants are very intelligent and form close family bonds throughout their lives. Savannah elephants live in complex social structures, forming close-knit family groups headed by a matriarch. These herds usually include other female relatives and their meat. The matriarch, usually the oldest and most experienced female (also known as the cow), plays a critical role in decision-making and herd leadership. The whole group works together to raise and protect the young and to find food and water.
On the other hand, male elephants (bulls) are solitary animals that roam the savannah alone or travel in small bachelor herds. Male elephants are gradually separated from the larger herd as they mature and learn important navigational and survival skills from older bulls to maintain and pass on their knowledge for decades.
Myths & Truths 4 Myth 2c(1)
Unfortunately, old elephant tusks are especially valuable to poachers. The loss of these older bulls means a lifetime of important knowledge about elephants is lost, negatively impacting the survival of younger males.
Read more: Meet the owl: Europe’s cutest bird facing an uncertain future Mythbusting: Popular myths about the African elephant Myth: Elephants are afraid of mice
Contrary to popular belief, elephants are not exactly afraid of mice. The myth is probably a misunderstanding of how an animal reacts to something running around its feet. So yes, an elephant might scare a mouse, but not exactly scared.
These giant animals are afraid of one thing: bees. Elephant skin is tough and thick, but bees are small enough to reach sensitive areas around the eyes, trunk and mouth. Elephants often flap their ears, kick up dust, make noise, or turn and run away in the presence of bees. Baby elephants are thin-skinned, meaning an accidental collision with a hive can cause serious damage!
Availability Of Biodiversity Information For East Africa. Table 1
Elephant cemeteries are, according to legend, places where old elephants go to die and lie down to be buried among their ancestors. However, there is no scientific evidence of these so-called “elephant cemeteries”. There are a couple of theories about the origin of this myth, groups of elephant bones were found together. Another theory is that poachers kill groups of elephants in one place and take their tusks to sell.
Although it is true that there is no elephant cemetery, there is evidence that African elephants mourn their loved ones deeply when they die. They can return to their final resting place over the years, exhibiting a level of empathy close to us.
It is strange to imagine a land mammal drinking through its nose, and the same can be said for elephants! African elephants use their noses to drink, but half of their trunks suck up water and squirt it into their mouths. In fact, it takes only one second for an African elephant to suck three liters into its trunk!
When it comes to peanuts, elephants aren’t really a big fan. They are herbivores that prefer to eat the abundance of grass, fruit, leaves, tree bark and other foliage found in the bush. This myth may have originated in the 19th century, when elephants were an attraction in circuses and zoos. Viewers can pay to feed them, and a bag of peanuts is an easy and inexpensive way to do so.
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Some elephant populations have declined by as much as 90 percent in the past 50 years. Across East and Southern Africa, the outlook is not much better. Only 400,000 African elephants remain in the wild, a sharp decline from the approximately 1.4 million African elephants alive in 1970. So what is causing the massive decline of elephants in Africa?
Ivory is one of the most controlled and expensive commodities in the world. It is used as a status symbol in art and traditional medicine in many cultures. Because of its high value and desirability, despite international bans on its illegal acquisition and sale, the ivory black market fuels illegal trade and poaching. Poaching for ivory remains a significant threat to elephants in Asia and Africa. It’s not just elephants: the black rhino is nearly extinct for its precious ivory.
When elephants feel threatened or clash with human settlements, some unfortunate situations can arise. Human-elephant conflict (HEC) manifests as crop raiding; When elephants eat and trample the lands; Or casualties and deaths when humans get too close, triggering their defensive behaviors. These conflicts affect not only the safety of people and the survival of elephants, but also the health of ecosystems and rural communities.
As we mentioned, elephants need a lot of space to roam. Herds roam miles beyond borders and plains, but human settlements, farms, and communities have significantly degraded their environment. In many countries, such as South Africa and Tanzania, national parks and private game reserves help keep elephants safe from humans and poachers, but restrict their movements. However, despite the efforts of these protected areas, poaching is still a major problem.
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Although they look slow, tough and cute, African savannah elephants can actually be
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