Asian Elephants are ginormous animals and very unique. They weigh a whopping 11,000 pounds, are 21 feet long and up to 11.5 feet high! These animals are stone gray which helps them to be camouflaged in the dark tropical forests. In order to stay hidden and be quiet they have wide, padded feet. One of the most interesting features on the elephant is the huge trunk. This trunk allows the animal to be very versatile! It can pick up items from the ground, as well as tear off limbs from trees (since it is an herbivore). On a hot day the trunk is also helpful because the elephant can squirt cold water on itself! Another feature that helps it stay cool is large, flappy ears. Usually elephants retreat to the shade or water during the hottest part of the day.
The main reason why these beautiful creatures are declining is due to human conflict. In South Asia, the population is on the rise and habitats are being taken over by roads, rail roads, and other types of infrastructure. In doing this the elephants are being cut off from the majority of their living space and force to find food elsewhere. This is why farmers crops are being raided because they cannot find food. When this happens the humans get mad and they want to kill and hurt the elephants which also puts them in a higher risk of danger for poaching. There seems to be illegal trade happening because people want ivory (elephant tusks). Although laws have banned this, the activity still continues and more elephants are being harmed.
Asian elephants eat a wide variety of vegetation, including grasses and herbs, leaves, fruit, farm crops, and bark. Therefore they are not exactly predators because they are not feeding on other animals. They communicate by using rumbles, growls, bellows, and moans. The female (oldest) usually sets the pace of group activities and sometimes herds of elephants meet together and join to make a clan! Males usually leave these clans around 13 years old and begin travel alone.
This animal is referred to as a ‘keystone’ species, it helps to open up forest clearings and distributes the seeds of trees and shrubs. They also provide water for other species by digging holes in dry riverbeds, and the wide paths they create as they wander through the forests act as firebreaks. Another important aspect of the Asian Elephant is the importance it plays in religion. It appears in various religious traditions and mythologies. They are treated positively and are sometimes revered as deities, often symbolizing strength and wisdom.
Current conservation efforts include protecting and restoring important areas of habitat, protecting populatios, monitoring illegal trade as well as poaching, increasing awareness and reducing the conflict between elephants and humans. Research is also being done to collect information on elephant distribution, habitat requirements and home-range size. A current effort that is being done by WWF is the declaration of the Tesso Nilo National Park. This is a highly protected area and " one of the last forest blocks large enough to support a viable population of critically endangered elephants and is also home to the critically endangered Sumatran tiger." Furthermore Wildlife Without Borders (WWB) is a "Service’s International Affairs program that coordinates domestic and international efforts to protect, restore, and enhance the world’s diverse wildlife and their habitats." Basically this program is working to decrease human-elephant conflict and stop poaching by supporting ideas that work to identify ways to alleviate this conflict, increase law enforcement and monitor illegal logging and poaching.
http://www.fws.gov/international/about-us/
http://www.fws.gov/international/about-us/
How can you help? There is always an opportunity to donate money to WWF and adopt an elephant. If you donate you are helping research progress as well as supporting their current conservation efforts. Another way to help this lovable animal is take action and "tell US Fish and Wildlife Service it is the right decision to save wild elephants." You can do this by filling out the form at the provided link:
https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=777
Work Cited:
http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=12#description
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/asian-elephant
http://www.fws.gov/international/about-us/
https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=777
Work Cited:
http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=12#description
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/asian-elephant
http://www.fws.gov/international/about-us/