African Elephants        

                                                           (Loxodonta africana)
                                                         By Kelsey Zerr

        

Description and Ecology

blaineharrington.photoshelter.com

     African elephants are the largest terrestrial mammals on earth with an average weight range of 2.5 to 7 tons, in addition to being anywhere from 8 to 13 foot tall (Erasmus). This species can be distinguished from its Asian counterparts by its large African-continent like shaped ears (Erasmus). These huge ears expel heat allowing the elephant to stay cool. Their long trunks have two extensions at the end and are used for a variety of different purposes such as "smelling, breathing, trumpeting, drinking, and also for grabbing things" (Erasmus). Male elephants may use their tusks to assert dominance and win a fight with another male whereas both male and female elephants use their tusks to dig up food and water (Erasmus). They are herbivores that can consume up to 300 pounds of roots, bark, grasses and fruit per day. Elephants routinely take dust baths to "protect [their] skin from parasites and biting insects"("Elephants Behavior").  Additionally this species has one of the longest gestation periods of any mammals, typically lasting 22 months (Erasmus). According to Sea World, elephants have a complex social structure that includes mourning for dead elephants and congregating in herds ("Elephants Behavior"). 

http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=77

African elephants spend a large part of their life foraging which causes them to travel very long distances to find an adequate supply of food and water. The African elephant currently graces a wide range of fragmented habitats across the African continent. These include deserts, grasslands, dense forests and savannas ("Loxodonta Africana"). African elephants aid the survival of other species in their habitats by digging up water holes, dispersing seeds and paving large paths through forests that help keep fires under control ("African Elephant").

                                                                       



Geographic and Population Changes
     Millions of African elephants once roamed the African continent but within the last century they have been reduced to a mere fraction of that number. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reports that by 1990, their numbers had been reduced to less than 500,000. A recent increase in poaching in the 21st century has lead to numbers declining even further to an estimated 420,000 across Africa (United States of America). About 100,000 were thought to be killed between 2010 and 2012 alone. Forest elephants have lost 30% of their habitat in the past 10 years. East Africa was down to 13, 084 individuals by 2013. West African elephants are losing huge amounts of habitat because of warfare. South Africa continues to have the largest population of elephants however in the past few years poachers have started targeting those areas as well (United States of America).
 
 Listing Date and Type of Listing

www.liberalamerica.org

     The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service listed the African Elephant in 1978. The species' current status is threatened across all populations however as recently as February 12th of 2015, a petition has been filed to uplist the species to endangered.

Main Threats to Continued Existence
     Historically the major cause of decline amongst the African elephant population has been poaching for their ivory tusks ("Loxodonta Africana"). Ivory has been and still is a valuable commodity. Catholic followers (especially those

http://www.mirror.co.uk

in Southeast Asia), and the country of China are currently the biggest sources of economic demand in the illegal ivory trade. They transform ivory into a variety of products such as jewelry, religious figurines, souvenirs and much more. Since African elephant tusks have such immense monetary value, global ivory traders pay a small salary to African locals to murder these animals. On the other hand in the present day, the main cause of decline is loss and fragmentation of habitat caused by humans converting land into agriculture. This fragmentation of habitat puts many stresses upon the animals causing them to not survive and reproduce as effectively. Poaching also continues to persist. ("Loxodonta Africana")
     
Recovery
      In 1990, the ivory trade was made illegal. In addition, portions of land throughout the continent were set aside as animal sanctuaries. Wildlife managers work to catch poachers and enforce the law.  
These managers also work to maintain the habitat. For example if the elephant densities in a certain area become too high, and therefore start having negative effects on other species and the habitat, managers work to relocate individuals. Additionally to reduce the elephant mortality caused by locals, programs have been established to allow locals to charge money for trophy hunters to hunt a certain amount of animals from around their community. There is still much more work to be done however as poaching continues to be a huge threat. ("Loxodonta Africana")

http://www.hippowallpapers.com

What Can You Do?

  -Write a persuasive letter to Pope Francis     asking Him to endorse a ban of the use ivory at:
            His Holiness, Pope Francis 
              Apostolic Palace 
            00120 Vatican City 

   -Reduce the economic demand of ivory by 
    restraining from purchasing ivory products
         
                       

Works Cited

"African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana)." Edge of Existence. Evolutionary Distinct and Globally     

    

    Endangered, n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. <http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?

    id=77>.

"Elephants Behavior." Sea World. Sea World Parks and Entertainment, 2015. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 

     <http://seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-infobooks/elephants/behavior/>.

Erasmus, Morkel. "African Elephant." National Geographic n.d.: n. pag. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 

    <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/african-elephant/>.

"Loxodonta Africana." IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 

    

    <http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/12392/0>.

               

United States of America. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana). 

    N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. <http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/profile/speciesProfile?

    spcode=A07U>.