Elephants & Biodiversity – How are they related?
Elephants help maintain forest and savanna ecosystems for other species and are integrally tied to rich biodiversity. Elephants are important ecosystem engineers. They make pathways in densely forested habitats that allow passage for other animals. Elephant herds that dwell in forests also help sequester more atmospheric CO2. They do so by feeding on fast-growing plants in more open spaces, which facilitates the spread of slow-growing trees with higher wood density. These latter plants are better at sequestering carbon from the air. After a forest elephant eats, they leave dung that is full of seeds from the many plants they have ingested. When this dung is deposited the seeds are sown and grow into new grasses, bushes, and trees, boosting the health of the savannah ecosystem. They are truly climate change mitigators!
#DYK humanity is responsible for a decrease in animal populations worldwide of 68% in the past 50 years? #DYK African elephant species are endangered and critically endangered and recently placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list? Biodiversity has become the number one concern facing the global community. Loss of wildlife affects ecosystems we all rely on to keep us healthy.
Watch the video as Elephanatics student volunteers deliver a presentation on the importance of keeping our biodiversity intact and how elephants are big players in the process!
- Contact Name: Fran Duthie
- Contact Number: 6048977614
- Contact Email: elephanaticsinfo@gmail.com
- Location: Surrey
- Organised by: Fran Duthie
#WorldAnimalDay was a success for elephants!
Watch as Elephanatics student volunteers deliver a presentation on the importance of Elephants at keeping our biodiversity intact and how they are big players in the process!