The Elephants Of The Forest, The Guardians Of The Trees
Not many people know that, in addition to the pachyderms that inhabit the savannah, other elephants live on the African continent besides the African elephant, known as forest elephants.
The mysterious guardians of the forest
This species, until relatively recently considered a subspecies of the African elephant, is actually a different species of elephant, smaller than the African elephant and with an extra toenail on each foot.
Additionally, its fangs display a certain pink tinge and are harder and thinner than those of its larger relative. The species lives in the jungles of central Africa: it mainly inhabits the forests that populate the Congo basin.
Hidden in these dense forests, the species is critically endangered, which is why it is considered vulnerable and included in the IUCN list of endangered species.
The beauty and mystery surrounding forest elephants are not the only reason to protect them: these animals are one of the most important key species for ecosystems, true engineers of nature.
Ecosystem engineers
A new study published in Nature Geoscience warns that these elephants are vital for the growth of slower-growing plants. We are talking about trees that are very important for accumulating carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere and strongly linked to climate change.
The team estimates that the extinction of the last forest elephants could be very concerning. The enormous help they are able to give to the ecosystem and to the forests, veritable trunks of carbon dioxide, amounts to 43 trillion dollars.
Forest elephants do not feed on slow-growing plants, but on fast-growing ones, making a real selection. This allows the former to thrive, which they could not do without elephants.
Conservation status of forest elephants
The richer forests have a much greater capacity to accumulate carbon dioxide, which is why it is very important to conserve this species to fight against global warming. In fact, like the oceans, forests are one of our greatest resources.
It is not easy to protect them, due to the enormous value of pink ivory. 62% of the specimens were hunted by poachers between 2002 and 2012, just a decade ago.
But it does not end there, because poachers are not the only threat : they are also hunted for meat, pandering to the bushmeat business linked to the wars and unrest that have torn the Congo apart for decades. Hence, the slaughter of elephants continues.
Like the African elephant, forest elephants have been protected by CITES since 1989. However, despite restrictions on the ivory trade, it appears that the conservation of a species we depend on to combat climate change cannot be guaranteed. .
