Elephant News From Asia Links

Habitat destruction and deforestation continues unabated in many areas throughout Asia destroying what little is left of the elephants’ natural forest habitat. Large areas are logged for timber that is sought after throughout the world. The cleared areas are then used for human settlements, agricultural farms or industrial plantations which include palm oil, rubber and tea.

As their habitat shrinks elephants and humans are coming into increasing contact resulting in conflict over resources including food. Human - Elephant conflict is a huge problem throughout Asia. It results in the deaths of hundreds of elephants and people every year. This ongoing and increasingly common conflict is one of the biggest threats to the future of the Asian Elephant.

Another threat to elephants is poaching for ivory and meat. Whilst many people may think poaching of elephants for their tusks ended many years ago, recently there has been a massive increase in ivory smuggling and seizures by authorities. Thousands of elephants, both African an Asian, are killed every year for their tusks to supply black-market demand for ivory.

These problems contribute to increasingly fragmented and declining elephant populations and are a real threat to the future of wild elephants throughout Asia.

Each month articles will be posted below that have been reported throughout native countries in Asia.

These articles are sourced & collated by the Save The Elephants organisation and they provide a snapshot of what is happening on the ground with wild Asian elephant populations.

Note: These articles are reproduced for reference only and the accuracy of the information therein, and any views they espouse, is attributable solely to the publications in which they were originally published.