Elephants help maintain forest and savanna ecosystems

Elephants are our planet’s “ecosystem engineers” whose activities create and maintain habitat beneficial for many other species. Feeding elephants push over trees, creating open mosaics and woodlands. Wallowing elephants help remove sediment from waterholes, and their annual treks create miles of trails that have been used by wildlife for centuries.

But right now, elephants are fighting for survival.

In March 2021, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature assessed the African Savanna Elephant as Endangered and the newly recognized African Forest Elephant as Critically Endangered. Asian Elephants have been listed as Endangered since 1986.

Elephants are fighting for survival

These species live in different parts of the world, but poaching for the ivory trade and extreme habitat loss from human settlement remain persistent threats to each.

To ensure long-term survival of the species, Rainforest Trust has established protected areas that safeguard critical habitat for all three elephant species across the globe in places like Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Central African Republic, Kenya, Cameroon, South Sudan, Mozambique, Myanmar, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Thailand.