Protecting Babar: IUCN at Work
Even with a ban on trading ivory, elephants are still being killed for their tusks. In addition to poaching, elephants have lost much of their habitat as people expand farms into areas previously occupied by wildlife. These threats were outlined in a 2021 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List update, which divided African elephants into two distinct species and increased their respective threat levels. What can we do?
The IUCN Red List.
In March, for the first time, the IUCN assessed the two species of elephants in Africa separately. The African forest elephant, which lives in rainforests in West and Central Africa, is now listed as Critically Endangered. The African savanna elephant, a larger species often found in Southern and Eastern Africa, is listed as one step below its forest cousin as Endangered. Before this year's update, all African elephants were treated as one species and categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Dr. Bruno Oberle, the IUCN Director General, says that the latest assessments "underline the persistent pressures faced by these iconic animals. We must urgently put an end to poaching and ensure that sufficient suitable habitat for both forest and savanna elephants is conserved.”
Ongoing poaching, despite ban.
The 1989 ban on trading ivory was introduced by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) after poaching nearly depleted many elephant populations. In the 1980s, roughly 100,000 elephants were killed each year and some areas lost up to 80% of their elephant herds. The ban has allowed some populations to recover, particularly in environments where elephants are protected, but elephants are still killed for their ivory tusks. They are often sold throughout Asia and made into jewelry and other trinkets. The recent uptick in illegal ivory trafficking has severely impacted forest elephants. Because of their dense rainforest habitat, forest elephants are harder to visually track. Compared to their larger savanna cousins, forest elephants have slower reproductive cycles, making it harder to replenish the herd after bouts of poaching.
Loss of habitat leads to conflict.
Agriculture has encroached on elephants' natural habitats and decreased their access to food. People have expanded farms into areas that were previously deemed unsuitable for agriculture and housing, provoking elephants to raid farmers' crops and destroy farms. Some farmers retaliate and these conflicts with humans over a degraded environment continue to pose a serious threat to elephants.
Adopt an elephant with the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. In addition to natural causes, elephants are orphaned because of human-wildlife conflicts, natural disasters, and poaching. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya cares for orphaned elephants and for as little as $50 per year you can symbolically adopt an elephant to help fund their work. You will receive a personalized adoption certificate, monthly email updates about your elephant, and access to special content created by the game keepers.