There are many elephant threats that have significantly depleted the numbers of elephants and are still a threat to the remaining elephants. Elephants have difficulties rebuilding their population because they have very long life spans and do not frequently breed.
In many countries hunting elephants for ivory is strictly illegal but some countries do allow legal elephant hunting as long as you have the proper permit. Another big threat to elephants is the destruction of their natural habitats.
Additionally burning of trees cause a change in the ecosystem so that erosion and water runoff cause deforestation. These trees and shrub are the elephant’s food and when the forests are greatly reduced the elephants will quickly destroy the rest of the forest in their search for food.
Deforestation completely kills off their habitats in such a way that it cannot recover. Deforestation also makes water scarce and reduces the shrubs and trees. What little is left is quickly consumed by the elephants until the ground cannot support any animal life. This search for food is extensive and elephants need huge tracks of land.
Even though national parks are meant to try and save elephants they can actually be a threat. This puts boundaries on their land and can cut them off from some of their seasonal feeding grounds as well as the areas that they may normally breed. This can cause the elephants to stop breeding or even die because they cannot access the lands they need to.
While national parks are not the best solution for elephants they may be the only available option as elephants are constantly threatened and their habitats destroyed.
Roger Burns lives in South Africa and sends much of his time watching and studying the Elephants and is concerned about the threats to elephants in our world today.