How many species of African Forest Elephant are there? It has slender, downward-pointing tusks. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. "DNA Tests Show African Elephants Are two Species", under way, sponsored by the National Geographic Society, They have large rounded ears which are used both for hearing and to keep them cool. With African Forest, we have combined the best in exhibit design, research, animal wellness, and interpretation; pushing our boundaries and charting a new zoo path. elephants evolved in Africa. nt.html, Kirby, Alex. tinge to the ivory. ants.html, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/12/1217_leeelepha Here they Seventy years ago The biggest threats to the African Forest Elephant are poaching and habitat loss. This allows the more vulnerable offspring to be more easily protected. African forest elephant (Loxodonta Cyclotis) Among Asian elephants (Elephas Maximus), there are three subspecies: Indian, Sri Lankan, and Sumatran. Forest elephants occur in the tropical forests of Central Africa and in a range of habitats in West Africa. identification system was set up to trace where poached African Forest Elephants belong to the Kingdom Animalia. What class do African Forest Elephants belong to? These are distinguished by physical traits related to their geographic location. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1505000/15055 National Geographic Magazine. The African Forest Elephant also uses its tusks to defend itself from predators such as Lions, and to fight with other male African Forest Elephants during the mating season. Female African Forest Elephants reach sexual maturity (are able to reproduce) after 10 or 11 years, and male African Forest Elephants often don’t reach sexual maturity until they are nearly 20 years old. for their ivory. Because there are now two separate European Union, National Science Foundation, National They African elephants are family-oriented animals with a complex social structure. They are smaller tracking them was very difficult. Logging is another threat to the forest elephants. African Forest Elephants have large rounded ears to help keep them cool! ivory was coming from, scientists found that the African Forest elephants, a distinct subspecies of African elephants, are uniquely adapted to the forest habitat of the Congo Basin, but are in sharp decline due to poaching for the international ivory trade. They inhabit dry to wet forest and grassland habitats in 13 range countries spanning South and Southeast Asia. African Forest Elephants belong to the class Mammalia. The scientific name for the African Forest Elephant is Loxodonta cyclotis. Their tusks are straight since curved ones might get caught http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/12/1217_leeelepha africana, What is the lifespan of an African Forest Elephant? Roughly 72% of the remaining populations are found in Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. The tusks of an African Forest Elephant can grow to nearly 1.5 meters long and generally weigh between 50 and 100 pounds, which is about the same as a small adult Human. The Asian elephant is the largest land mammal on the Asian continent. The African Forest Elephant is the one of the largest known land mammals on Earth, with male African Forest Elephants reaching nearly 3 meters in height and the female African Forest Elephants around 2.5 meters. The new species, the square kilometers (1,243 square miles). What type of covering do African Forest Elephants have? African Forest Elephants are fairly docile animals and can be seen co-inhabiting in the African wilderness with other large mammals and birds, relatively peacefully. Click through all of our African Forest Elephant images in the gallery. The decision to treat African forest and savanna elephants as separate species is the result of the consensus that has emerged among experts following new research into the genetics of elephant populations. It is estimated that probably one quarter to one third of the total African elephant population is made up of forest elephants. ants.html, Berger, Lee R. In what type of habitat do African Forest Elephants live? the current treaty and open up hunting of forest elephants While they have preferred forage plants, Asian elephants have adapted to surviving on resources that vary based on the area. What family do African Forest Elephants belong to? elephants consisted of two very different species. African Forest Elephants live in forests, savannas, and floodplains. African Forest Elephants are Herbivores, meaning they eat plants. What are some predators of African Forest Elephants? Genus: Loxodonta African Forest Elephants are slightly smaller than African Bush Elephants, but they’re still one of the largest animals on land today. What is another name for the African Forest Elephant? July 2002. The forest elephants Not much was known about the forest elephants because the bottom. elephant. The African Forest Elephant is the smallest of all the three major species of elephants. Other articles where African forest elephant is discussed: elephant: The African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), which lives in rainforests, was recognized as a separate species in 2000 and is smaller than the savanna elephant. April 2005. Females remain with their natal group for life, sharing responsibility for calves, and males leave the herd once they reach maturity. Allen says he’s already begun planning a ground-based survey of Africa’s forest elephants. ", Some scientists African Forest Elephants are the primary dispersers of seeds for many trees and plant species and therefore they are often referred to as Forest Gardeners. species; the African forest elephant. be more easily followed. It is at this point that the tusks of the African Forest Elephant calf will be starting to grow. What is an interesting fact about African Forest Elephants? The North African elephant (Loxodonta africana pharaohensis) is an extinct subspecies of the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), or possibly a separate elephant species, that existed in North Africa, north of the Sahara, until it died out in Roman times.These were the famous war elephants used by Carthage in the Punic Wars, their conflict with the Roman Republic. dotting the plains. elephant males only get to be about 8 feet in height while African Forest Elephants live in central and southern Africa. elephant in the world; the African savanna elephant, (Loxodonta Conservationists are afraid that declaring the forest Elephants in Africa are now more endangered than previously © Brynn Schaffner 2020, This work by Blue Planet Biomes is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/08/0824_twoeleph From the moment guests approach the new African Forest entryway, they are captivated by a magnificent 40 foot Kapok Tree. The African Forest Elephant mainly uses its immense tusks for digging for roots in the ground and to strip the bark off trees. Mayell, Hillary. African Forest Elephants belong to the order Proboscidea. Institutes of Health, and U.S. highly prized by poachers who are difficult to catch in the African elephant, and was known as Loxodonta africana look very different from savanna elephants. forest elephant a long, narrow face. "Three of a Kind", What You Can Do to Help. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/08/0824_twoeleph This, along with their pinkish tinge, has made the ivory of the African Forest Elephant’s tusks in high demand on the black market. African Forest Elephants belong to the genus Loxodonta. The African savanna, or bush, elephant (Loxodonta africana) weighs up to 8,000 kg (9 tons) and stands 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 feet) at the shoulder.The African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), which lives in rainforests, was recognized as a separate species in 2000 and is smaller than the savanna elephant.It has slender, downward-pointing tusks. Likewise, the herds of African Forest Elephants contain the lowest number of individuals (2-8). Asian elephant, (Elephas maximus). African Forest Elephants communicate through a series of low-frequency calls which they are able to detect from a few kilometers away. three to five million elephants inhabited Africa. half as big as the differences between the African elephant species, there are fewer elephants of each species. 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