Weighing up to 6000 kg (6.6 tons) and measuring up to 3.3 m (10 ft.) at the shoulder, the African elephant is the world's largest land mammal. It is characterized by its highly dexterous trunk, long curved tusks, and massive ears.
As African elephants act as a keystone species, it is vital to take steps in their conservation. Poaching and urban sprawl pose a massive threat to their survival.
Now classified as a near threatened species under IUCN's Red List, African elephants had benefited greatly from the 1989 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) ban on ivory. This measure was taken in response to the widespread obliteration of nearly half the African elephant population that took place in the preceding decade. However, with newer, more relaxed laws against ivory, as well as continuing human encroachment, the African elephant remains in trouble.
What You Can Do to Help
There are several ways to help support African elephants. For starters, don't buy, sell, or wear ivory. Also, participate in eco-tourism. Boosting Africa's economy through eco-tourism helps placate local residents who view elephants as pests. In addition, you can donate to or fundraise for the Elephant Corridor, a project that enables elephants in Botswana to roam freely across the border to Zambia.
Finally, help provide captive elephants with the best possibly life. Boycott circuses, whose unethical treatment includes chaining elephants up by their feet and trunks, as well as beating them frequently. Encourage zoos to create environments similar to African elephants' native habitat. They should be able to encompass elephant families and their travel patterns, and they should be located in a warm climate so that the elephants can spend all year outside. that the elephants can spend all year outside.
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