World Wildlife Fund

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African Elephant

Forest Elephant

Common Name: Forest elephant
Scientific Name: Loxodonta Africana cyclotis
Location: Central African dense tropical forests

Forest elephants are found in dense forests and are essential for the germination of many rain forest trees. The seeds of these trees only germinate after passing through the elephant’s digestive tract. Populations of forest elephants are not easily estimated because they are hard to see among the trees in which they live.

Physical Description

Forest elephants are smaller than savanna elephants, have oval-shaped ears and their tusks are straight and downward pointing.

Diet

Forest elephants’ diet varies by season and region, but often includes a wide variety of trees and fruit.

Social structure

They live in small social groups of 2 to 4 individuals, but the bulls tend to be solitary.

Did you know?

African elephants can eat up to five percent of their body mass, about 600lbs in 24 hours and can drink nearly 60 gallons of water a day.

WWF Works to:

Forest elephants are primarily threatened by poaching for bushmeat and ivory. WWF is working to alleviate this threat and protect the future of the forest elephant.

In the Congo Basin, WWF is striving to eliminate illegal hunting in protected areas and to end the hunting of threatened species including forest elephants and apes. WWF advocates sustainable hunting of less vulnerable species in buffer zones and community hunting reserves to encourage the survival of wildlife outside of protected areas, while providing affordable meat to a poor and growing human population. We are also working to develop community-based fisheries that will help alleviate poverty and provide alternative sources of protein.

WWF is also helping to create employment opportunities in industries such as tourism and protected areas management. This will decrease local people's dependence on bushmeat as a source of income. We are also working with local railways, trucking firms and airlines to discourage the commercial bushmeat trade.

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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