The Sumatran Elephant: A Species In Crisis

Sumatran elephants, the smallest of Asian elephants that helps support the vital ecosystem itself is on the verge of extinction. 2,400 and 2,800 individuals were left in the wild when declared an endangered species. Now there are only an estimate of 1,694 to 2,038 individuals left. But how did this happen and why? 

Habitat loss: 

The Sumatran elephant used to roam the large expanse of wilderness in Indonesia, but as the amount of deforestation increased, these magnificent beasts now face no other choice but to divide and separate further, surviving in the fragmented pieces of the forest. This resulted in loss of diversity, habitat, and food, leading the elephants towards human land in search of food and shelter, causing human-animal conflict. 

Human-animals conflict: 

Driven by hunger and desperation from habitat loss, the Sumatran elephants often enter human land, devouring crops. This led to human-animal conflict, often leading to several elephant and human deaths. In a multi year span in Riau there was many interactions between the Sumatran elephants and civilians, with over 100 elephant deaths. 

Poaching and Ivory trade: 

One of the main reasons that the Sumatran elephants are facing almost complete extinction, is because of the illegal ivory trade. Countless ‘protected’ Sumatran elephants were killed and slaughtered for the ivory in their tusks, causing split gender ratio gaps. Male Sumatran elephants own larger tusks then females, who rarely have any tusks that all. This created targeted practice on male elephants, slowing reproduction processes. 

In Conclusion: 

The Sumatran elephants are critically endangered and are on the brink of extinction, and now we know why. With the dangers of poaching, habitat loss and human-animal conflict, the numbers of these graceful beasts are decreasing more than ever. Humans learn from their mistakes. Not always. These practices alone have caused the loss of hundreds of species alone.