A new review of the status of African elephants finds scientific grounds for dividing them into two species, and reports that both have suffered drastic population declines since 1990.
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Articles on Elephants
Displaying 1 - 20 of 76 articles
Elephants use their giant incisors to dig holes, impress rivals and rest weary trunks. But as so many continue to be killed for their ivory, he question is whether they are destined to be tuskless.
Life in captivity causes observable harm to the structure and function of large mammals' brains.
The death toll stands at nearly 400 elephants of both sexes and all ages.
Developing countries that depend heavily on tourists need international support, and more sustainable offerings for the future.
Elephants don't have the enzyme that allows humans to metabolize alcohol. This means that anecdotes about elephants getting drunk from rotten fruit may very well be true.
For decades nations have worked to curb international sales of endangered plants and animals. But in countries like China, with high demand and speculative investors, that strategy fuels bidding wars.
In large ecosystems, managing elephant populations so they don't exceed a certain threshold number is arbitrary.
Melting Siberian permafrost is exposing long-dead mammoths, creating a new trade in mammoth ivory.
As the ultimate custodians, it is urgent that African countries with elephants take
ownership of the processes at CITES.
A new study shows these elephants boost the carbon stored in their forests by 7%.
A shift in climate, along with other environmental disruptions and the invasion of competitors and new predators all likely played an important role in reshaping ancient elephants' brains.
Poaching of African elephants has fallen, but the species is still at risk. Law enforcement and ivory bans help, but tackling poverty is key to stopping poaching at the source.
Amid a growing human population, African elephants are confined to an increasingly managed existence. Do we want more for one of the world's most loved species?
Polar bears 'invading' a Russian village have renewed concern over climate change in the Arctic, but human-wildlife conflicts are flaring up everywhere.
At an international summit in Egypt this month, nations will hopefully make progress towards recognising the economic value of wildlife and other environmental assets.
Understanding stories – those of the murderous as well as of the compassionate – is vital to generating the critical mass necessary to save natural environments and their multiple denizens.
As the Maasai people of Kenya seek to expand their agricultural developments, the lives of one of Africa's greatest creatures are being severely disrupted.
Conflict between people and animals has been on the increase in Tsavo, Kenya.
A growing body of evidence points to how animals are aware of death, can experience grief and will sometimes mourn for or ritualize their dead.
Top contributors
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Senior Research Associate, Institute for the Future of Knowledge, University of Johannesburg
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Senior Research Fellow Social-Ecological Systems & Resilience, Griffith University
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Fellow, The Safina Center; Research Associate, University of the Free State
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Lecturer, Centre for Applications in Natural Resource Mathematics, The University of Queensland
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Visiting Professor, University of Kent
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Senior Researcher in Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of the Witwatersrand
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Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University
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Professor of Conservation and Applied Resource Economics, University of Kent
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PhD Student, University of St Andrews
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Professor, University of Stirling
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Environmental Social Scientist, Newcastle University
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Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Portsmouth
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Professor in Tropical Conservation Ecology, University of Nottingham
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Professor of Comparative and Evolutionary Neurobiology, University of the Witwatersrand
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Professor of Neuroscience, Colorado College
