In a charming moment captured at a Thai elephant sanctuary, a young elephant enthusiastically approached a visitor for a cuddle, offering a playful interaction that delighted everyone watching The video shows a woman seated on the muddy ground when, unexpectedly, a baby elephant bounds over, eager to make her acquaintance. The audience can’t help but laugh as the calf cozily settles on her lap. A bystander comments that the woman seems to be enjoying the unusual encounter. However, the calf’s boundless energy keeps it moving around, occasionally shifting in ways that look a little uncomfortable for the woman. She smiles and strokes the baby elephant as it readjusts onto her thighs, embracing the affectionate moment. But when the calf rolls backward onto her shins, she lets out a soft “ow,” prompting a nearby person to step in and lend a hand. Unperturbed, the little elephant soon rolls f...
LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Africa’s elephant populations are now more at risk due to rising poaching and habitat loss, as highlighted in a new report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released Thursday.
The report distinguishes two species: the African forest elephant, now listed as critically endangered, and the African savanna elephant, classified as endangered. Previously, these species were grouped as one and considered vulnerable.
The IUCN findings reveal that African forest elephants have declined by over 86% in the last 31 years, while savanna elephants have dropped more than 60% over the past 50 years. Currently, the combined population of both species stands at around 415,000.
Savanna elephants inhabit open plains and various habitats across sub-Saharan Africa, with significant numbers in Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
In contrast, the smaller African forest elephants are found in the tropical forests of West and Central Africa, mainly in Gabon and the Republic of Congo.
In Gabon, efforts to combat elephant poaching are crucial for conservation and national stability.
“We have seen countries like Central African Republic, where poachers became bandits, became rebels and destabilized the whole country,” said Lee White, Gabon’s minister of water and forests, to The Associated Press.
White pointed to international cross-border syndicates as major drivers of poaching and ivory trafficking.
White explained that a significant portion of Gabon’s poached ivory is smuggled to Nigeria, often funding groups like Boko Haram. “It’s very much a cross-border fight against organized crime and even against terrorism,” he added.
The struggle to protect Gabon’s forest elephants has escalated into a conflict. “We have transformed biologists into warriors,” White said, highlighting how those dedicated to studying and conserving wildlife have become frontline defenders of the species.
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Rudi van Aarde of the University of Pretoria’s zoology department noted that criminal networks, often involving corrupt officials, are a major challenge in central and western Africa.
“Most of the ivory that leaves this continent for Asia is from central and western Africa,” van Aarde said. “The population is suffering more because of the illegal trade in ivory instead of environmental issues like deforestation.”
The poaching crisis in sub-Saharan Africa intensified between 2008 and 2012, severely impacting elephant numbers, particularly in East and Southern Africa, where an estimated 100,000 savanna elephants were killed in northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania.
“Africa’s elephants play key roles in ecosystems, economies, and our collective imagination worldwide,” IUCN Director General Bruno Oberle said, emphasizing the importance of these animals and the gravity of their declining populations.
Oberle added, “The new IUCN Red List assessment highlights the ongoing threats these iconic animals face.”
Kathleen Gobush, lead assessor for the IUCN’s Red List, noted the pressing need for innovative conservation strategies.
“With persistent demand for ivory and increasing human pressures on Africa’s wildlands, concern for Africa’s elephants is high,” she said, stressing the importance of managing these animals and their habitats wisely.
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