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#sumatran-elephant-elephas-maximus-sumatranus — Public Fediverse posts

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  1. Deforestation Devastates Tesso Nilo National Park’s Endangered Creatures

    Tesso Nilo National Park in #Sumatra, #Indonesia, has lost 78% of its primary forest between 2009 and 2023, primarily due to #palmoil plantations. This #deforestation threatens the habitat of critically endangered species like the Sumatran #tiger and #elephant. Advocating for indigenous-led conservation efforts and adopting a vegan lifestyle can help protect these vital ecosystems. #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

    #News: Tesso Nilo National Park in #Sumatra #indonesia 🇮🇩has lost 78% of primary forest since 2009 due to illegal #palmoil plantations, endangering species like #tigers #orangutans #elephants. Help them to survive! #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🔥⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife https://wp.me/pcFhgU-aly

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    https://youtu.be/z7FUBg_AqjA

    Tesso Nilo National Park, established two decades ago to safeguard one of Sumatra’s largest remaining lowland forests, is facing severe deforestation. Recent satellite imagery from Global Forest Watch indicates that the park has lost 78% of its primary forest cover between 2009 and 2023.

    The primary driver of this deforestation is the expansion of illegal oil palm plantations. A 2018 investigation by the World Wildlife Fund revealed that nearly 75% of the park had been converted into such plantations. The development of these plantations introduces roads, increasing accessibility for poachers and further endangering wildlife.

    Tesso Nilo is a biodiversity hotspot, home to over 4,000 plant species and nearly 3% of the world’s mammal species, including critically endangered Sumatran tigers and Sumatran elephants. The ongoing deforestation poses a significant threat to these species, leading to palm oil habitat loss and ecosystem disruption.

    In addition to biodiversity loss, deforestation contributes to climate change by releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming.

    Efforts to combat deforestation in Tesso Nilo include raising awareness about the consequences of palm oil deforestation and promoting indigenous-led conservation initiatives. Make sure you resist against animal and plant extinction when you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife!

    For a detailed analysis, read the full article on The Cool Down.

    Marino, J. (2024, December 15). Satellite imagery identifies disturbing problem in national park — here’s why experts are concerned. The Cool Down. Retrieved from https://www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/tesso-nilo-national-park-deforestation-satellite-images/

    ENDS

    Read more about deforestation and ecocide in the palm oil industry

    Protecting India’s Tigers Saves One Million Tonnes of CO2

    #India’s fifty year long Project #Tiger has been a successful conservation project. A new research study finds that protecting tigers and their rainforest home has additional benefits to #carbonemissions, saving 1 million tonnes…

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    Savage’s Glass Frog Centrolene savagei

    Perched on delicate leaves above rushing mountain streams, Centrolene savagei is a rare frog of wonder. The Savage’s Glass Frog, also known as the Savage’s Cochran Frog has translucent emerald skin that shimmers…

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    Human Activities Shift Tree Species in Brazilian Forests

    Human Activities Shift Tree Species in Brazilian Forests | Research by Lancaster University reveals that human-induced deforestation and degradation in Brazilian forests are causing a shift towards fast-growing, small-seeded tree species. These changes…

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    Pesquets Parrot Psittrichas fulgidus

    The beguiling Pesquet’s #parrots are sometimes known as ‘Dracula parrots’ due to their unique appearance. This includes black facial features, black feathers and bright red patches that reminiscent of a Dracula-like cloak. This…

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    How We Save Sumatra’s Last Living Tigers

    Strict global rainforest laws like #EUDR, enforcement of anti #poaching units, and a consumer boycott of #palmoil, hold the key to protecting #Sumatra’s last living #tigers.

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    Take Action in Five Ways

    1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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    2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

    Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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    Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

    Read more

    Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

    Read more

    Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

    Read more

    The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

    Read more

    How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

    Read more

    3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

    https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

    https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

    https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

    4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

    5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

    Pledge your support

    #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #corruption #deforestation #elephant #elephants #Indonesia #News #orangutans #PalmOil #palmOilBiofuel #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Sumatra #SumatranCochoaCochoaBeccarii #SumatranElephantElephasMaximusSumatranus #SumatranGroundCuckooCarpococcyxViridis #SumatranLaughingthrushGarrulaxBicolor #SumatranLeafbirdChloropsisMedia #SumatranMesiaLeiothrixLaurinae #SumatranOrangutanPongoAbelii #SumatranTigerPantheraTigrisSondaica #TessoNiloNationalPark #tiger #tigers #vegan

  2. African Savannah Elephants Use ‘Names’ to Communicate

    New research reveals that African savannah #elephants use unique, ‘names’ to call one another, showcasing their incredible intelligence and deep social bonds. Unlike other animals, these majestic creatures communicate with non-imitative calls, highlighting their advanced cognitive abilities. This discovery opens new doors to understanding the evolution of language and cognition in animals. Dive into the fascinating world of elephant communication! 🐘🌍✨ They face many threats to their survival, help them to survive when you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife

    https://youtu.be/6K3_rqhRiL4

    🐘✨ Elephants know each other by name! Exciting new #research reveals African savannah #elephants use unique name-like calls to communicate, showcasing their incredible intelligence, deep social bonds. @palmoildetect #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌍💚 https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8we

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    🐘🔍 Groundbreaking #research #study shows #elephants don’t just trumpet—they call each other by name! These majestic creatures have complex social lives and advanced #cognition. Help them to survive when you #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🐾🌿wp.me/pcFhgU-8we

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    In a groundbreaking 2024 study, researchers have discovered that African savannah elephants Loxodonta africana communicate with each other using unique name-like calls, similar to how humans use personal names. This discovery, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, places elephants among a rare group of animals known to use individual-specific vocalisations.

    The Study and Its Findings

    A team of international researchers employed artificial intelligence to analyse 469 rumbles—deep, low-frequency sounds—made by two herds of wild elephants in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park and Samburu National Reserve between 1986 and 2022. The AI model successfully identified the intended recipient of these calls 27.5% of the time, a rate significantly higher than random chance. This finding suggests that the elephants’ calls contain individual-specific information akin to names.

    The study also involved playback experiments where recordings of these rumbles were played to the elephants. The subjects responded more rapidly and vocally to calls originally addressed to them compared to those directed at other elephants. This indicates that elephants can recognise and respond to their own ‘names’ even when the call is out of context.

    Research: African Savannah Elephants Use ‘Names’ to Call One Another

    Implications for Animal Communication and Cognition

    Unlike dolphins and parrots, who call to each other by mimicking their sounds, elephants use unique, non-imitative calls. This discovery is significant as it suggests that elephants have a capacity for abstract thought and complex social cognition. The ability to use arbitrary sounds to label individuals is a trait shared with humans, highlighting the advanced cognitive abilities of elephants. In a fascinating example of interspecies communication (unrelated to the study) an orphaned baby elephant named Tsavo responds to his keeper calling his name at Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya.

    Tsavo the baby elephant responds to his keeper calling his name. Image Credit: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

    The findings also underscore the importance of social bonds among elephants. The need to call each other by name implies a sophisticated social structure and communication system. Understanding these communication patterns gives deeper insights into the evolution of language and cognition in both humans and animals.

    Further Reading

    Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

    Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNG

    Southern Pudu Pudu puda

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    Blue-streaked Lory Eos reticulata

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    Blonde Capuchin Sapajus flavius

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    Savage’s Glass Frog Centrolene savagei

    Keep reading

    Pesquets Parrot Psittrichas fulgidus

    Keep reading

    Tanimbar Eclectus Parrot Eclectus riedeli

    Keep reading

    Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

    Read more about RSPO greenwashing

    Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazards

    A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

    Read more

    Take Action in Five Ways

    1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

    Enter your email address

    Sign Up

    Join 3,529 other subscribers

    2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

    Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

    Read more

    Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

    Read more

    Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

    Read more

    Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

    Read more

    The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

    Read more

    How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

    Read more

    3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

    https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

    https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

    https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

    4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

    5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

    Pledge your support

    #AfricanElephant #AfricanForestElephantLoxodontaCyclotis #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalCommunication #animalIntelligence #Bantrophyhunting #BorneanPygmyElephantElephasMaximusBorneensis #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #cognition #elephants #Mammal #research #study #SumatranElephantElephasMaximusSumatranus #WorldElephantDay

  3. Large herbivores such as elephants contribute to tree diversity

    A recent study using satellite data has highlighted the critical role that large herbivores play in promoting tree diversity in forest ecosystems. The research showed that areas with abundant large herbivores like elephants had more varied tree cover and more tree diversity. This finding underscores the importance of large herbivores in many ecosystems and that they should have primary importance in conservation strategies, particularly in the context of global efforts to combat climate change and extinction. Help big herbivores every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket!

    Recent #research finds that lots of large #herbivores like #elephants 🦏🐘help plant #biodiversity in rainforests! Help big plant eaters and #plants to survive! 🐘🩶#Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🧐🪔⛔️ @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7dB

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    Soulful #elephants 🐘💗 are not only intelligent, they add more tree cover and #tree diversity, finds this landmark #study. All #elephant species are threatened by #palmoil #deforestation and #poaching for ivory. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🔥⛔ @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7dB

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    Cover image credit: A Sumatran elephant enjoys a playful river dip, by Craig Jones Wildlife Photography

    Lanhui Wang, Joris P.G.M. Cromsigt, Robert Buitenwerf, Erick J. Lundgren, Wang Li, Elisabeth S. Bakker, Jens-Christian Svenning. Tree cover and its heterogeneity in natural ecosystems is linked to large herbivore biomass globally. One Earth, 2023; DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.10.007 Media release from Lund University. “Large herbivores such as elephants, bison and moose contribute to tree diversity.” ScienceDaily, 3 November 2023.

    Maintaining species-rich and resilient ecosystems is key to preserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change. Here, megafauna — the part of the animal population in an area that is made up of the largest animals — plays an important role. In a new study published in the scientific journal One Earth, an international research team, of which Lund University is a part, has investigated the intricate interplay between the number of voracious herbivores like elephants and the diversity of trees in the world’s protected areas.

    “Our findings reveal a fascinating and complex story of how large herbivorous animals shape the world’s natural landscapes. The tree cover in these areas is sparser, but the diversity of the tree cover is much higher than in areas without large herbivores,” says Lanhui Wang, a researcher in physical geography and ecosystem science at Lund University.

    “In our global analysis, we find a substantial association between the biomass of large herbivores and varied tree cover in protected areas, notably for browsers and mixed-feeders such as elephants, bison and moose and in non-extreme climates,” explains the study’s senior author, Jens-Christian Svenning, professor at Aarhus University.

    Hereby, the study supports that large wild herbivores promote a diverse vegetation structure, creating a rich habitat for many other species. This is due to the animals’ consumption of vegetation as well as physical disturbances.

    According to Lanhui Wang, these new research findings highlight the need to integrate large herbivores into restoration and conservation strategies. Not only for the sake of the animals themselves but also for the vital role they play in shaping landscapes and influencing biodiversity. The researchers argue that this aspect is not sufficiently considered within the framework of sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration.

    “At a time when global initiatives are intensely focused on combating climate change and biodiversity loss, our findings highlight the need for a broader and more nuanced discussion about ecosystem management and conservation measures. It is of utmost importance to integrate understanding of the ecological impact of megafauna into this,” says Lanhui Wang.

    The UN has declared the 2020s as the decade of ecosystem restoration. In total, 115 countries have agreed to restore up to 100,000 square kilometres of nature in total. To achieve this, more wild-living large herbivores are needed worldwide, says Lanhui Wang.

    “I believe that we will need to protect and conserve large herbivores to achieve the UN goals. Megafauna are crucial for tree cover, which in turn promotes carbon sequestration and a diversity of habitats,” says Lanhui Wang.

    Lanhui Wang, Joris P.G.M. Cromsigt, Robert Buitenwerf, Erick J. Lundgren, Wang Li, Elisabeth S. Bakker, Jens-Christian Svenning. Tree cover and its heterogeneity in natural ecosystems is linked to large herbivore biomass globally. One Earth, 2023; DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.10.007 Media release from Lund University. “Large herbivores such as elephants, bison and moose contribute to tree diversity.” ScienceDaily, 3 November 2023.

    ENDS

    Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

    Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNG

    Marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua

    Keep reading

    Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

    Keep reading

    Sunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus

    Keep reading

    Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

    Keep reading

    Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

    Keep reading

    Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

    Keep reading

    Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

    Read more about RSPO greenwashing

    Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazards

    A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

    Read more

    Take Action in Five Ways

    1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

    Enter your email address

    Sign Up

    Join 3,179 other subscribers

    2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

    Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

    Read more

    Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

    Read more

    Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

    Read more

    Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

    Read more

    The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

    Read more

    How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

    Read more

    3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

    https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

    https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

    https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

    4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

    5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

    Pledge your support

    #AfricanElephant #Bantrophyhunting #biodiversity #BorneanPygmyElephantElephasMaximusBorneensis #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #ecology #elephant #elephants #EndangeredSpecies #herbivores #Pachyderm #pachyderms #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #plants #poaching #research #study #SumatranElephantElephasMaximusSumatranus #tree #WorldElephantDay
  4. Sumatran Elephant Elephas maximus sumatranus

    Sumatran Elephant Elephas maximus sumatranus

    Critically Endangered

    Population: 2,400 – 2,800

    The Sumatran elephant is a critically endangered subspecies of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), confined to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. As one of the world’s largest land mammals, they play a vital role in their ecosystem as keystone species, facilitating seed dispersal and maintaining forest biodiversity. Tragically, their population has been reduced by more than 80% in the last 75 years due to palm oil deforestation and poaching.

    With fewer than 2,400 individuals estimated to remain in the wild, the Sumatran elephant is at immediate risk of extinction. Protect their future by boycotting palm oil products and advocating for stronger conservation efforts. Use your voice and wallet as weapons. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-BdEF0EBng

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5olrnYKT4Q

    Sumatran #Elephants are rapidly disappearing 🐘🐘💀 critically endangered in #Sumatra #Indonesia due to #palmoil #deforestation and #poaching. Help them to survive when you #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔🤮☠️⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/19/sumatran-elephant-elephas-maximus-sumatranus/

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    Lighter coloured than other #pachyderms, Sumatran #Elephants deserve to live in freedom. They’re 🐘💀 critically endangered in #Indonesia 🇮🇩 due to #palmoil #deforestation and #poaching. #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔🤮☠️⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/19/sumatran-elephant-elephas-maximus-sumatranus/

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    While Sumatra is home to several of the country’s largest national parks, many areas in these parks are destroyed—illegally—to produce palm oil. The elephant population across the island is crashing, with far fewer than 3,000 surviving, as herds are left homeless, harassed and killed due to intense conflict with people over shrinking habitat. Their decline is closely linked to the rapid expansion of palm oil plantations, illegal logging, and human-wildlife conflicts.

    The Asian Elephant is one of the last few mega-herbivores (i.e. plant-eating mammals that reach an adult body weight in excess of 1,000 kg) still extant on earth (Owen-Smith, 1988). Being hindgut fermenters with relatively poor digestive efficiency (Dumonceaux 2006), elephants must consume large quantities of food per day to meet energy requirements. The lack of reliable population estimates across most of the Asian elephant range presents a considerable challenge to detecting such declines.

    Nevertheless, from what is known about trends in habitat loss and other threats including poaching, an overall population decline of at least 50% since 1945 over the last three generations (estimated to be 75 years, based on a generation time estimated to be 25 years) seems realistic. The Sumatran subspecies is listed as Critically Endangered

    Appearance and Behaviour

    Sumatran elephants are smaller than their mainland Asian relatives, with males standing between 2 and 3.2 metres tall and weighing up to 5,000 kilograms. Their lighter grey skin often features depigmented patches on the ears and trunk, which are particularly prominent in this subspecies. These elephants have larger ears relative to other Asian elephants, an adaptation that helps them regulate body temperature in Sumatra’s tropical climate (Nurcahyo et al., 2023).

    An anatomical distinction of Sumatran elephants is their 20 pairs of ribs—one more than other Asian elephant subspecies. Male elephants typically develop long tusks, while females either lack visible tusks or have small, rudimentary ones. Their physical adaptations and behaviours are crucial for surviving in dense, tropical forests and swamps, where they navigate their environment with remarkable dexterity.

    Geographical Range

    Historically, Sumatran elephants roamed throughout the island’s lowland rainforests, peat swamps, and grasslands. Today, their habitat has been reduced to just a fraction of its original range, with an estimated 69% of suitable habitat lost between 1985 and 2009 (Hedges et al., 2020). Their remaining populations are concentrated in fragmented forest patches in the provinces of Aceh, Riau, Lampung, and North Sumatra.

    The expansion of palm oil plantations is a primary driver of habitat destruction, with millions of hectares of forest cleared to meet global demand. Fragmented habitats force elephants into smaller areas, increasing the risk of inbreeding, resource competition, and conflict with humans (Setiawan et al., 2019).

    Population Status

    The Sumatran elephant population is estimated to be between 2,400 and 2,800 individuals, down from tens of thousands just decades ago. This decline represents the loss of hundreds of elephants annually due to habitat destruction, poaching, and conflict (Hedges et al., 2020). If current trends continue, the species could face extinction within 30 years.

    Diet

    Sumatran elephants are herbivorous and consume over 200 plant species, including grasses, fruits, leaves, bark, and roots. They consume up to 150 kilograms of vegetation daily, playing a critical role in seed dispersal and forest regeneration. Elephants forage over large areas, often moving between different forest types to meet their dietary needs (Nurcahyo et al., 2023).

    Reproduction and Mating

    Female Sumatran elephants have a gestation period of approximately 22 months, the longest of any land mammal. They typically give birth to a single calf every four to five years. Calves weigh 80–120 kilograms at birth and are highly dependent on their mothers for the first two years of life. These slow reproductive rates make population recovery challenging, particularly in the face of ongoing threats (Setiawan et al., 2019).

    Threats

    Sumatran elephants are protected under Indonesian law, but enforcement is often weak. Conservation efforts focus on habitat restoration, anti-poaching patrols, and mitigating human-elephant conflicts. Protected areas, such as Gunung Leuser and Way Kambas National Parks, are crucial for the survival of remaining populations. However, deforestation within these protected areas remains a significant challenge (Hedges et al., 2020).

    IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

    • Palm oil deforestation: The rapid conversion of forests into palm oil plantations has destroyed large portions of the elephants’ habitat. Between 1985 and 2009, Sumatra lost nearly half its forest cover (Hedges et al., 2020).
    • Human-Elephant Conflict: As elephants venture into agricultural areas, they are often perceived as pests. This results in retaliatory killings, which account for significant population losses each year (Nurcahyo et al., 2023).
    • Poaching: Male elephants are heavily targeted for their ivory, which is illegally traded. Despite national protections, poaching continues to drive population declines (Setiawan et al., 2019).
    • Climate Change: Rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns and extreme weather events threaten the availability of food and water resources, further stressing elephant populations (Nurcahyo et al., 2023).

    Take Action!

    Protect the Sumatran elephant by boycotting palm oil products, supporting reforestation initiatives, and advocating for stricter wildlife protection laws. Every purchase matters. Fight for their survival with #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife.

    Spotlight on Sumatran Elephants – Craig Jones Wildlife Photography

    Without direct intervention in the national parks the Orangutans along with other forest-dependant wildlife- like the Sumatran Tigers and Elephants will become progressively scarcer until their populations are no longer viable. Spotlight Sumatra – The Final Chapter by Craig Jones

    Help the organisations helping these beautiful animals

    Sumatran Elephant Conservation Initiative e.V.

    Way Kambas National Park Sumatra

    Further Information

    Gopala, A., Hadian, O., Sunarto, ., Sitompul, A., Williams, A., Leimgruber, P., Chambliss, S.E. & Gunaryadi, D. 2011. Elephas maximus ssp. sumatranus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T199856A9129626. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T199856A9129626.en. Downloaded on 19 January 2021

    Nurcahyo, A., et al. (2023). The movement pattern and home range of Sumatran elephants in the Mila-Tangse landscape. ResearchGate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369190606

    Setiawan, I., et al. (2019). Recent observations of Sumatran elephants in Sembilang National Park, South Sumatra. Journal of Tropical Forest Science, 31(2), 299–308. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334776259

    BBC Earth. (2020). Sumatran Elephant: Project Hope. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/28hWyXFGHPhm20nTVG4pT0n/sumatran-elephant

    Wikipedia contributors. (2023). Sumatran elephant. In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_elephant

    Sumatran Elephant Elephas maximus sumatranus

    How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

    Take Action in Five Ways

    1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

    Enter your email address

    Sign Up

    Join 3,528 other subscribers

    2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

    Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

    Read more

    Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

    Read more

    Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

    Read more

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    3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

    https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

    https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

    https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

    4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

    5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

    Pledge your support

    #Bantrophyhunting #Borneo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #elephants #Indonesia #Malaysia #Pachyderm #pachyderms #palmoil #poaching #pollination #pollinator #SeedDispersers #SouthEastAsia #Sumatra #SumatranElephantElephasMaximusSumatranus

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