Biology

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Endangered African Elephant Population

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Endangered African Elephant Population

Background Information

Elephant population in Africa has been under threat of extinction owing to various factors. Africa is struggling day in day out to sustain herd population of the endangered species, with about only 30,000 elephants being left. Demand for elephant tusks in counties like China and South East Asia has led to increased poaching rates in Africa in a bid to meet market needs.

Savanna is the main Biome where elephants in Africa are located as their natural habitat. Their natural habitat for most of African elephants is within sub-Saharan Africa in the rain forest of both Central and West Africa and also in Sahel desert of Mali (Schlossberg et al, 2016). Elephants in Africa have adapted to living in hot and semi-arid conditions. The two different species of elephants in Africa are the African Forest Elephant and African Savannah, which live in different habitats. African Savannah Elephants can be found in up to 37 African countries in hot and arid areas, whereas African forest species have adapted to living in the forest habitat, which can commonly be found in the Congo basin in rainforest conditions.

An ecosystem comprises of both living and non-living organisms in the environment where all of them interact in. Organisms in the ecosystems are linked together through nutrient cycles as some organisms become nutrients for others, while some provide organic manure for growth and development of others (Simon, Dickey, & Reece, 2013). For instance, since African elephants are the largest mammal in the continent, they play a vital role in balancing the natural ecosystems. Firstly, they make it easier for smaller animals to co-exist with them in their habitat as they use their large size to trample grasslands and forests. Elephants also facilitate more green growth in their ecosystem as they disperse seeds through their dung.

Several threats facing African elephants are likely to cause extinction despite the significant role they play in their ecosystem. The elephant population is drastically going down with each new dawn owing to threats making them an endangered species amidst fights to sustain their population.

Threats Facing Elephants in Africa

Climate Change

Climate change has been one major threat to elephant population in Africa due to global warming. African elephants have become susceptible to climate change as temperatures get hotter despite their resilience to climate. Elephants have a dire need for excessive freshwater, which is important for their daily activities and reproduction. With high temperatures, water sources dry up in their habitat leading to low reproduction and deaths.

Poaching

Poaching in Africa has increased over the years as demand for elephant tusks has increased in China and South East Asia. Such demand for elephant tusks and poaching prevails despite international bans illegal ivory trade. The ban introduced in 1889 by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) helped some populations of elephants recover, but recent increase in illegal trading activities threatens their existence (Simon, Dickey, & Reece, 2013). .

Habitat Loss

Human and elephant conflict has been on the rise as an increase in the human population has led to loss of elephant habitat. Agricultural activities have been extended to forests and rangelands by human beings encroaching on elephant habitat. This loss of habitat leads to conflicts consequently leading to a decreased population of elephant herds.

Poverty, weak policies and corruption

Poachers who engage in illegal poaching and trading of elephant tusks do so as a result of poverty. High poverty levels, coupled with insufficient anti-poaching regulations and corruption, compounds the problem even further. Corrupt officials who are supposed to ensure poaching and illegal trade subside; become middle men for such trade.

Biodiversity and how it affects the Elephant Population

Biodiversity can be described as the types of creatures, plants, organisms, different environments of the world, huge and small species that make the assorted planet we live in today. Biodiversity can significantly affect elephant population either positively or negatively.

Biodiversity is very crucial in balancing of an ecosystem as different components of the system contribute to survival and coexistence of others.  Variation of the genetic composition of different species leads to improved coexistence where there is interdependency. Apart from elephants supporting the survival of other species, they also depend on other species for survival and biodiversity makes this possible (Simon, Dickey, & Reece, 2013). Birds such as Oxpeckers are very important to elephants as they land on elephant bodies and eat the ticks and lice and, as such, ensure that parasites do not endanger the elephant population. This relationship is symbiotic and crucial as it helps to prevent the spread of disease among elephant herds and, as such, leading to increased population. Elephants also depend on other animals like baboons for survival. Baboons sited on treetops can be able to detect impending danger and notify elephants.

On the flip side, biodiversity can be a threat to elephant population as more and more species depend on elephants in the ecosystem. Biodiversity has proven to be a challenge to elephant existence, especially with increase in human population. Increased dependence on elephant tusks for economic purposes from human beings has led to a decreased elephant population.

Population Models that can Increase Elephant Population

To solve the problem of elephant population in Africa, I propose the following model that can help increase elephant population.

Logistic Model

The logistic model is a population model developed by Verhulst aimed at ensuring population growth (Luxhoj & Rizzo, 1988). The equation is: DP/DT = rP (1 – P/K) where,

• Population size is P
• Environmental carrying capacity is K
• Growth rate is defined by r

The above model is sufficient for triggering an increase in population of elephants in Africa as it integrates regulatory constraints imposed on elephant species by environmental factors. The equation suggests, for growth rate of the elephant population in Africa to increase, environmental carrying capacity K must reduce significantly. The environmental constraint, in this case, maybe climate change or even poaching and loss of habitat perpetrated by human beings. This model identifies the need to minimize environmental constraints if elephant population is to grow.

How Community Populations Relate to my Proposal

Community populations play a significant role in the decrease and increase of elephant population in Africa. The two main relations of the community to the proposed model being the environmental constraint human beings impose on elephants. Encroachment of human beings on natural habitats for elephants should be dealt with to increase rate of population growth of the elephants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Luxhoj, J. T., & Rizzo, T. P. (1988). Probabilistic Spares Provisioning For repairable Population.

Journal of Business Logistics, 9(1), 95.

Schlossberg, S., Griffin, C. R., Bouché, P. J., Djene, S. W., Elkan, P. W., Ferreira, S., … &

Peltier, A. (2017). Continent-wide survey reveals massive decline in African savannah

elephants.

Simon, E. J., Dickey, J. L., & Reece, J. B. (2013). Campbell Essential Biology 5th Edition:

            Pearson New International Edition. Pearson Higher Ed.