The Silent Crisis series part 2: A fractured harmony

"We admire elephants in part because they demonstrate what we consider the finest human traits: empathy, self-awareness, and social intelligence. But the way we treat them puts on display the very worst of human behavior.” ~ Graydon Carter

 

Having established the ecological importance of elephants in our 2 part series of The Silent Crisis, we now confront the anthropogenic paradox that threatens their very existence. In part 1, we explored how  closely intertwined the relationship between elephants and the surrounding environment are, where elephants help shape the habitats and ecosystems. The second part not only explores the detrimental impacts that human activities have on these majestic megafauna, but will also explore the burgeoning efforts taken for ecological redemption. 

Long before animal conservation documentaries and wildlife campaigns, Walt Disney's Dumbo offered a profound lesson about a young elephant ostracized for being different, yet ultimately celebrated for his unique gifts. This mirrors the current struggle of elephant populations worldwide where they lose their placement on our planet as humans consume greater volume of land for urbanisation. According to CNN, elephants have lost more than 64% of their habitats -- equating to 3.3 million square kilometres of land since 1700. This loss of habitats is attributed to deforestation and urbanisation.

Deforestation 

Deforestation—the widespread clearing of forested land—has created direct competition between humans and elephants for increasingly scarce space. Vast patches of forest have been razed to create room for agriculture, livestock grazing, and to harvest wood for fuel, manufacturing, and construction. The consequences for elephant populations have been devastating. Research indicates that approximately 21.5% of elephant habitats worldwide were lost between 1930 and 2020. The situation is even more dire in specific regions; WRI Indonesia reports that a staggering 69% of elephant habitats in Sumatra have disappeared due to deforestation in just the past 25 years.

Elephants require extensive forested areas to satisfy their substantial dietary needs and fulfill their reproductive requirements. As human settlements expand through deforestation, they fragment elephant territories and disrupt vital migration corridors. This forced displacement from their natural habitats severely restricts elephant movement and access to resources, directly contributing to their steep population decline, threatening their long- term viability as a species

Fun Fact 3: Did you know that elephants maintain an extraordinarily slow heart rate of just 27 beats per minute? This remarkably contrasts with a tiny canary, whose heart races at an astonishing 1,000 beats per minute.

Urbanisation

Urbanization has significantly exacerbated climate change in the modern era. Globalization and industrialization have triggered long-term shifts in average weather patterns and sea level rise over extended periods. For elephants, these climate disruptions have devastating consequences, manifesting as water scarcity and habitat degradation across their ranges. These massive creatures require approximately 450 kilograms of vegetation daily to sustain themselves— an enormous dietary requirement which has become increasingly difficult to fulfill. As climate change intensifies, prolonged dry seasons prevent vegetation from thriving, creating fierce competition for limited food resources among wildlife. Elephants, despite their size and strength, find themselves vulnerable to these environmental pressures, forcing them to travel greater distances between water sources and viable feeding grounds, often bringing them into conflict with human settlements and agricultural areas.

Fun fact 4: Elephants purr like cats do, as a means of communication. 

Poaching

Elephant poaching, driven by the illegal ivory trade has emerged as a critical threat that governments and organisations are facing. It is estimated that 20000 African elephants die to poaching each year. pried for its durability and aesthetics, ivory has been used to craft spiritual figurines and luxurious furniture. The ivory market, especially prominent across parts of Asia has become a breeding ground for criminal activities like smuggling, illegal poaching and black market trade. Did you know that elephant tusks can be sold for about $1000 per kilogram?

Fun fact 5: Did you know that an elephant’s molar tooth can weigh as much as three kilograms? This just underscores the truly massive scale of these gentle giants

While it is important to acknowledge the reasons that harm our wildlife, it is important to acknowledge the initiatives that different communities are doing to help protect endangered species. 

Science and Technology

With the advancements of science and technology, science and technology can become a useful tool in animal conservation.  scientists use satellite collars, satellite imagery to understand their migration patterns and their behaviours. Additionally, with GPS tracking and DNA tracking, scientists and conservationists can help protect elephants from illegal poaching. In 2018, Dr samuel Wasser and his team created a list of DNA which helps authorities track the origin of these smuggled ivory, helping provide information about the way the poachers and traffickers work. 

Fun fact 6: Did you know that a car could travel 20 miles on the amount of methane produced by one elephant in a single day.

Conservation Efforts 

Communities across Thailand have established sanctuaries dedicated to elephant conservation, helping to protect and care for the elephants in the area. They strive to provide quality healthcare to the elephants in their care, integrating tourism into the sanctuary as well. Tourists are able to interact with the elephants there while learning more about elephant conservation. The funds raised from tourism as well as from donations would be used to support rescue operations, medical care as well as habitat maintenance. It is reported that there are there are approximately 13,000 of the 50,000 surviving Asian elephants being maintained in human care in Asia. Conservation centres are actively reaching out to raise awareness about elephant protection as well as to help support other herds of elephants in the area. 

As apex beings in the global ecosystem, humans bear a profound responsibility to help support and protect other animal species. Every species has an intregal part to play in maintaining the harmony of the ecosystem. It is only through constant efforts will be able to fix our ecosystem. The Silent Crisis that elephants face is not merely about saving a single species but this article stems as a mirror to protect other endangered animals in our ecosystem. The existence of these creatures now depends on our actions and choices that we make.