Elephant

Elephant:

Taxonomic Classification
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Proboscidea
Family	Elephantidea
Genus	Elephas Maximus	Loxodonta Africana
Sub species	Mainland Elephant Sumatran Elephant Srilankan Elephant Borean Elephant	Savanna Elephant Forest Elephant

 

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Habitat:

Forests, woodlands, grassy plains, savanna, swamps and deserts are some of the ecosystems where they easily survive

Elephants Habitat - According to Species

African Elephant Habitat:
In the grasslands or in dense rainforests, in countries like Congo and  other African countries are, Kenya, Zaire, Zimbabwe and Mauritania.

Asian Elephant Habitat:
 Asian elephants are found in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, dry broadleaf forest as well as tropical deciduous forest, grasslands, mountains, tropical savanna and tropical rainforests. The Asian countries like Nepal, Burma, Thailand, India etc, which have the above ecosystems are lucky to be the homes of these elephants.

·        Ecological Importance:

v They modify their habitat by converting savannah and woodlands to grasslands

v Elephants can provide water for other species by digging water holes in dry riverbeds the depressions created by their footprints and their bodies trap rainfall

v Elephants act as seed dispersers by their fecal matter. It is often carried below ground by dung beetles and termites causing the soil to become more aerated and further distributing the nutrients

v An Elephants journey through the high grass provides food for birds by disturbing small reptiles, amphibians or insects.

·        Biological importance:

Elephants are considered a Keystone species in the African landscape. They pull down trees, break up bushes, create salt licks, dig waterholes, and forge trails. Other animals, including humans, like the pygmies of the Central African Republic, depend on the openings elephants create in the forest and brush and in the waterholes they dig.

·        Economic value:

Consumptive use value: ivory, trophy hunting.

Non-Consumptive value: game-viewing, elephant rides.

·        Causes of endangerment:

Elephants are endangered species. Elephants need a large amount of habitat because they eat so much. Humans have become their direct competitors for living space. Human populations in Africa and Asia have quadrupled since the turn of the century, the fastest growth rate on the planet. Forest and savanna habitat has been converted to cropland, pastureland for livestock, and timber for housing and fuel.