Revival of African Forest Elephants Will Take 100 Years

According to a study published on Wednesday, September 10, the revival of African forest elephants, which play a crucial role in the ecosystem of tropical forests in central Africa, will take about a century due to extensive poaching by ivory traffickers and their slow reproduction rate. The research, conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society and published in the journal Applied Ecology, is the first comprehensive study on this species, which is difficult to assess due to its life in remote forest environments. However, the dense forests where these elephants live have not prevented poachers from hunting them, and between 2002 and 2013, about 60% of the African forest elephant population was reduced due to the booming ivory market in China and other developing Asian countries. Peter Rej, a professor at Cornell University and one of the researchers, told Reuters, "During this period under review, the number of these animals decreased from 100,000 to 70,000. Considering their reproduction rate, returning to the numbers before 2002 will take about a century." Besides the fate of this species, researchers believe that forest elephants play a very important role in the life cycle of tropical forests in Africa. Many plants in these areas depend on these elephants for seed dispersal. These massive animals travel over large areas, consume a lot of food, and produce a lot of dung. The gaps in the forest created by their feeding and movement provide conditions for the growth and movement of smaller species. Peter Rej adds, "If elephants do not create this movement and change, the structure of these forest areas will be completely transformed." Reuters adds that the status of the tropical forests in central Africa will have global consequences, as it is the second-largest carbon dioxide sink after the Amazon and plays a significant role in slowing down global warming. A part of this research emphasizes that "forest elephants are currently facing the largest wave of ivory poaching, with 8 to 10 percent of their population killed each year." It is unlikely that forest elephants will be able to withstand this extensive poaching and continue to survive, as their reproduction is very slow. The research shows that female forest elephants give birth around the age of 23, which is a decade older than savanna elephants in Africa. They give birth every 5 to 6 years, while savanna elephants typically reproduce every 3 to 4 years. The worst cases of forest elephant poaching occur in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, both of which are poor countries suffering from crises and wars and have ineffective governments. The results of this research are published on the eve of an important United Nations meeting in Johannesburg to discuss the status of ivory poaching and trade. Zimbabwe and Namibia are trying to obtain permission to sell ivory, but many African countries oppose it. Proponents of opening the ivory trade claim that the revenue from selling this product can be allocated to the protection and revival of elephant populations. However, opponents believe that legalizing this trade will give ivory traffickers a free hand and turn ivory, which is a significant threat to the survival of elephants, into an accepted product.