Essay on “Asian Elephant conservation”

In the past three generations, the Asian elephant population has

declined by 50%, leaving only around 20,000 to 40,000 left in the wild
(U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Staff). Despite Asian elephant unique
characteristics, some people see them just as money. They’re willing to
take away Asian elephants’ habitats and even their lives just for a profit.
Many countries are working on changing this and hopefully conserving
the Asian elephants we have left. Asian elephants have many different
qualities making them very special animals, however, these qualities
make them targets for hunters and victims of habitat loss; but, luckily
there are different projects countries are doing to help these innocent
elephants.

Asian elephants are endangered because of many different factors

such as loss of habitat, poaching, and human/elephant conflict. The
population of Asian elephants has gone down to roughly 20,000 - 40,000
left in the wild. In the past three generations, the Asian elephant
population has decreased by close to 50%. Countries where Asian
elephants live have growing human population. With a growing
population, comes the need for more room to build homes, businesses,
and farms. This new construction is taking away from Asian elephants
habitats. Losing their habitats, mean the Asian elephants have to find
somewhere new to find food. Some Asian elephants find food in people’s
farms. This causes farmers to try and defend their food and families by
killing the elephant. People also try to go for the ivory in Asian elephants
tusks. The ivory in their tusks is very expensive. The ivory in their tusks
is used for making different things. Some people paint it and use it to for
carving.

Due to lack of the lack of management and resources in the

conservation programs has led to a further increase in poaching which has
triggered to drastic decline in elephant populations. According to the
Huffington post, a reputable news source, it reports, “an estimated 22,000
elephants were illegally killed across the world in 2012”. In February
alone there were as many as “650 elephants killed in a matter of days” If
the elephant death continues at such a rapid rate it could lead to their
demise. An extinction in elephants would mean the possibly of many
other species becoming endangered of going extinct as well.

Today, witnessing a herd of elephants is becoming increasingly

uncommon, as more and more elephants die prematurely every year.
Indian elephants may spend up to 19 hours a day feeding and they can
produce about 220 pounds of dung per day while wandering over an area
that can cover up to 125 square miles. This helps to disperse germinating
seeds. They feed mainly on grasses, but large amounts of tree bark, roots,
leaves and small stems are also eaten. Cultivated crops such as bananas,
rice and sugarcane are favored foods as well. Since they need to drink at
least once a day, these elephants are always close to a source of fresh
water. So, save the lives of elephants will save the lives of human.