the african forest elephant

8/9/2019 The African Forest Elephant

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African Forest

Elephants By James Remington Orozco NewtonAbout the Elephants

The endangered African Forest Elephant of Central and Western Africa

lives in the humid environment of the lush tropical rainforests. Though

smaller than its well known cousin the African Bush Elephant, Forest

Elephants have straighter, slimmer tusks, and smoother skin. Allowing them

to easily move through the dense forests they live in. the Bush Elephant was

considered a sub species of the Forest Elephant. Although DNA testinggives proof that the two are different species, not all agree that the evidence

is sufficient. Formally the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group believes

the evidence provided is enough to split the species into two. Also the

disputed Pygmy Elephant of the Congo Basin is assumed to be a different

species. But is likely just Forest Elephants whose lack of growth is due to

environmental conditions.


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By poaching and the large demand of ivory, the African Forest Elephant

population critically plummeted in the 1990s and 2000s. But conservation

efforts in half a year have quintupled the amount of African forest elephants

in the wild. They did this by establishing a DNA identification system to

trace the origin of poached ivory. At the time it had been well known thatthe ivory of African Forest Elephants was straight, very hard, and had a

pinkish tinge and to it. The DNA strangely indicated that the African Forest

Elephant and the African Bush Elephant were more different than

anticipated previously before. From the results, the two species were as

distinct as they are to the, also well known, Asian Elephant.

Although they sustain themselves on fruit more than bush (or savanna)

elephants do. The Forest Elephants need for mineral salt attracts it to certain

mineral open clearings of the forest. These clearing are called bais

(pronounced buys). Here the Forest Elephants dig up the soil, or extract

the mineral from the beds of rivers and streams. Kneeling down with theretrunks to reach the mineral salt or by even diving underwater.

The range of an individual elephant can be 772 square miles, larger than

the national parks in Central Africa. These animals are now primarily found

in the Republic of Congo and Gabon. Also with a good amount remaining in


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the southeastern corner of the Republic of Cameroon, and the south western

tip of the Central African Republic.

Threats and Challenges

African Forest Elephant thrive in world with municipal disequilibrium

and hominal impoverishment, raising the chances for the discretion of these

beings. As civilization and industry grow around them, the more rainforest

they lose. The ranges of the Forest Elephants forests are becoming

increasingly destroyed by industry. The more rainforest these animals lose

the less chance of conservational efforts to succeed in preserving these

elephants.

What was once the bountiful heart of natural Africa has become

vigorously crisscrossed with roads and plentiful with human commotion.

These new roads that swarm through the Congo Basin have become dense in

with human settlements. These serve as direct conduits for poachers who

have come seeking the diverse forests, including elephant tusks to supply the

financially competent illegal ivory trade to other countries. Scientists call

these roads highways of death, for the Forest Elephant, and stopping

illegal hunting is critical to the survival of the species.


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The African Forest Elephant is still fairly unknown besides the basic

information. There is little scientific data about these animals, including

their home range requirements, ranging patterns, and seasonal movement.

This information is well needed in helping to stop irreversible impacts on the

population of the Forest Elephants, and resolving conflicts between humans

and these animals.

Conservation Efforts

"It was once said that in Africa human communities were like islands

surrounded by elephants," remembers Andrea Turkalo, of the Wildlife

Conservation Society, "These days its exactly the opposite." Turkalos

leading study of forest elephants is conveyed at Dzanga Bai, a foreign, 30-

acre open range on one of the largest islands on the continent. This island is

a cluster of rain forest preserves in central Africa.

When Turkalo arrived here around 10 years ago, little was known about

Loxodonta africanacyclotis. Other wise known as the African ForestElephant that makes up almost one-third of the 600,000 remaining African

elephants. Ranging widely through thick forest, the Forest Elephants are


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extraordinarily hard to study. For many years researchers considered it lucky

even to spot a forest elephant, much less observe one. As a result they based

their limited conclusions on insufficient evidence, such as dung or feeding

trails. This wasnt resolved until Turkalo set up camp at Dzanga Bai in

Dzanga-Ndoki National Park.

Today, Turkalo flawlessly observes every elephant that visits, by working

from a platform in the trees. Noting physical characteristics to establish

individual identities, she later works on this data to study life histories,

family structure, and patterns of group behavior. With insect repellent and a

spotting scope, Andrea Turkalo spends her usual afternoon on her platform,

"unraveling the intricacies of the forest elephants' lives," as she says it.

Sources

African Forest Elephant Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Forest_Elephant

African Forest Elephant Wildlife Conservation Society

http://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife/elephants/african-forest-elephant.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Forest_Elephanthttp://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife/elephants/african-forest-elephant.aspxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Forest_Elephanthttp://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife/elephants/african-forest-elephant.aspx


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Forest Elephants National Geographic Magazine

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/forest-elephants/belt-text
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/forest-elephants/belt-texthttp://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/forest-elephants/belt-text

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