The consequences of poaching and anthropogenic change for forest elephants

Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology
Thomas BreuerVicki Fishlock

Abstract

Poaching has devastated forest elephant populations (Loxodonta cyclotis), and their habitat is dramatically changing. The long-term effects of poaching and other anthropogenic threats have been well studied in savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana), but the impacts of these changes for Central Africa's forest elephants have not been discussed. We examined potential repercussions of these threats and the related consequences for forest elephants in Central Africa by summarizing the lessons learned from savannah elephants and small forest elephant populations in West Africa. Forest elephant social organization is less known than the social organization of savannah elephants, but the close evolutionary history of these species suggests that they will respond to anthropogenic threats in broadly similar ways. The loss of older, experienced individuals in an elephant population disrupts ecological, social, and population parameters. Severe reduction of elephant abundance within Central Africa's forests can alter plant communities and ecosystem functions. Poaching, habitat alterations, and human population increase are probably compressing forest elephants into protected areas and increasing human-elephant conflict, which negatively ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 28, 2017·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·John R PoulsenMark Sowers
Apr 3, 2021·Current Biology : CB·Jake WallIain Douglas-Hamilton
Apr 24, 2021·Scientific Reports·M S L R P MarasingheP C G Bandaranayake

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