Wildlife In danger

Wildlife in Danger

1) Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus)         Condition: Endangered                                     

Habitat:

Asian Elephants inhabit grasslands, tropical evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests and dry thorn forests.

3 sub species:

- Sri Lankan Elephant lives in Sri Lanka

- The Indian Elephant lives in mainland Asia: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malay Peninsular, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and China

- The Sumatran elephant lives in Sumatran and Borne

Threats:

Competition for living space has resulted in the reduction of Asian elephant numbers to between 25 600 and 32750animals in the wild

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

The Asian Elephants’ habitats are shrinking fast and wild elephant populations are mostly small, isolated and unable to mingle as ancient migratory routes are cut off by human settlements.

Large development projects (such as dams, roads, mines and industrial complexes), plantations and spreading human settlements have fragmented what was once contiguous elephant habitats into small fragments.

Illegal Hunting and Trade

Selective removal of tusks for their ivory and poaching elephants for their meat causes a decrease in the number of Asian elephants.

2) Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis)       Condition: Critically Endangered

 

                           

Habitat:

Black Rhinos are mainly found in grassland-forest transition zones, but are present in habitats ranging from desert in South-western Africa to Montane forests in Kenya

The species is usually restricted to areas within about 25km of water sources.

Threats:

Poaching of black rhinos for their horns escalated from 1970s and remains the greatest threat to black rhinos.

3) Hawksbill turtle ( Eretmocheys imbricata ) Condition : Critically endangered

Habitat: Priamrily found in coral reefs

Threats: They are much sought after throughout the tropics for their beautiful brown and yellow carapace plates.