Sri Lankan Elephants

Welcome to my blog post on the Sri Lankan Elephant. I am here to tell you what you need to know about this endangered species as well as how you might be able to help it.


The Sri Lankan elephant is a sub species of the Asian elephant and can be distinguished by their skin depigmentation on various parts of their body. They are also the largest and darkest of the Asian elephants. Their scientific name is Elephas maximus maximus. These elephants typically travel in a herd of 12-20 individuals sometimes even more. This herd is led by the eldest female of the group, or the matriarch.

Currently there are about 3,000 Sri Lankan elephants left. Sri Lanka is an island so space is limited. As you can see on the map to the left the area for elephants is pretty scattered and small compared to the areas dominated by humans and areas occupied by both elephants and humans. Because of human expansion and conflict the population of Sri Lankan elephants dropped about 65% since the turn of the 19th century. 


For their role in the ecosystem the Sri Lankan elephant is keystone species or ecosystem engineers. They have a significant impact on the ecosystem they are a part of. One example of this is when elephants feed on trees they open up gaps in vegetation and allow sunlight to get through to the undergrowth of forests which helps reduce competition and allows smaller plants to grow. Another example is during dry seasons the elephants will seek out water sources and if none are found will dig and look for water to create their own watering hole. This is beneficial to other animal species in the ecosystem searching for water which may not survive without these watering holes.

The biggest threats that the Sri Lankan elephants face is habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. these elephants require large areas of forest to survive, but many forests have been being cleared to make space for more human settlements. There is a constant competition for space which then leads to human-wildlife conflict. these elephants also love crops like sugar cane bananas, and other fruits which are grown in the area. This leads to elephants wondering into areas with humans which can sometime lead to the death of either a human or elephant.

If we were to lose all these elephants its would he extremely harmful to the ecosystem. Since the elephants are the ecosystem engineers without them helping to manage things the ecosystem will no longer flourish and become less diverse or worse case completely collapse.



 Currently the Sri Lankan Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) is taking measures to protect Sri Lankan elephants. They are currently looking into ways of deterring elephants from approaching human settlements in a safe wat to protect both people and elephants. They are also working towards establishing more national parks and expanding conservation areas as well as elephant corridors for safe passage of elephants between habitats. They understand the cultural and natural significance of the species and is working to ensure their survival.

A geospatial tool that can aid in Sri Lankan elephant conservation is Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GIS has been used with other elephant species to track their movement and migration patterns as well prevent human-wildlife conflicts. This system could be applied with the Sri Lankan elephants since one of the biggest conservation challenges is human-wildlife conflict. GIS could be used to track the elephant's movements and make sure they do not wonder into human inhabited areas keeping both the elephants and people safe.

If you're looking to help out the Sri Lankan elephants here are a few ways you can!
  • You can become a volunteer and go help the elephants within Sri Lanka.
  • Support an organization that is working towards protecting wild elephants.
  • Do not buy ivory or other wildlife products and become an elephant aware consumer.
  • If you wish to go and visit elephants and see them in their natural habitat remember to be respectful towards them and their environment.
  • The easiest thing to do is talk about the current issues the elephants face and help raise awareness for them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Polar Bears

Image
Welcome to my blog about polar bears. I am here to inform you on why there is a need for concern regarding the species and how you may be able to help.  First lets talk a little bit about polar bears.  They are known as one of the largest bears in the world and the Arctic's top predator, polar bears are a powerful symbol of the strength and endurance of the Arctic. The polar bear's Latin name is Ursus maritimus which means sea bear. It's an appropriate name for these bears since much of their life is spent around oceans and sea ice. Polar bears are located across the Arctic Ocean, in parts of Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Greenland. Majority of the polar bear population however is located in Canada. When it comes to the total population of polar bears there is a lot of unknowns so the estimated population is somewhere around 20,000. In the ecosystem the polar bears are a part of they are  at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the mar
Read more

Introduction

My name is Jared McCullah and I am majoring in IT with a focus on Game Design. I would say my favorite animal is bears like the panda or brown bear. For my interest in wildlife, I just find animals to be extremely interesting and think its a shame that sometimes they can be treated so poorly either directly or indirectly. I dont think animals deserve that so I am eager to learn about wildlife conservation.
Read more