World Wildlife Fund

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A searchable map database of more than 26,000 species worldwide.

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Award-winning journalist John Nielsen tells the stories of WWF field teams through this new biweekly podcast series. Listen.

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African Elephants

African Elephant

Common Name: African elephant
Scientific Name: Loxodonta africana
Location: Africa

Subspecies:

Savanna elephant
(Loxodonta africana africana)

Forest elephant
(Loxodonta Africana cyclotis)

African elephants once numbered in the millions across Africa, but by the mid-1980s their populations had been devastated by poaching. The status of the species now varies greatly across the continent. Some populations remain in danger due to poaching for meat and ivory, habitat loss and conflict with humans.

Elephants are important because their future is tied to much of Africa's rich biodiversity. Scientists consider African elephants to be keystone species as they help to maintain suitable habitats for many other species in savanna and forest ecosystems.

Elephants directly influence forest composition and density, and can alter the broader landscape. In tropical forests, elephants create clearings and gaps in the canopy that encourage tree regeneration. In the savannas, they can reduce bush cover to create an environment favorable to a mix of browsing and grazing animals.

Many plant species also have evolved seeds that are dependent on passing through an elephant's digestive tract before they can germinate; it is calculated that at least a third of tree species in west African forests rely on elephants in this way for distribution of their future generations.

WWF works to:

Building on 40 years of experience in elephant conservation, WWF’s African Elephant Program aims to conserve forest and savanna elephant populations through projects and policies. WWF works with elephant range state governments, local people and non-governmental partners to secure a future for this powerful symbol of nature.

Through its African Elephant Program, WWF is focusing on five areas that are the most critical to conserve African elephants:

slowing the loss of natural habitat
strengthening activities against poachers and the illegal ivory trade
reducing conflict between human and elephant populations
determining the status of elephant populations through improved surveys
enhancing the capacity of local wildlife authorities to conserve and manage elephant populations

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Danger Watch

A species relative risk of extinction, as determined by the IUCN - The World Conservation Union. More

Extinct

No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
Extinct in the Wild

Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalized population.
Critically Endangered

Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
Endangered

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Near Threatened

Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.
Least Concern

Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endagnered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened