Sumatran Elephant
| Sumatran Elephant | |
|---|---|
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Proboscidea |
| Family: | Elephantidae |
| Genus: | Elephas |
| Species: | Elephas maximus |
| Subspecies: | E. m. sumatranus |
| Trinomial name | |
| Elephas maximus sumatranus[2] Temminck, 1847 |
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The Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian Elephant, and native to Sumatra island of Indonesia. In January 2011 the Sumatran elephant has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 80% over the last three generations, estimated to be about 75 years. The subspecies is pre-eminently threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation; over 69% of potential elephant habitat has been lost within the last 25 years.[1]
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[edit] Characteristics
In general, Asian elephants are smaller than African elephants and have the highest body point on the head. The tip of their trunk has one finger-like process. Their back is convex or level. Females are usually smaller than males, and have short or no tusks.[3]
Sumatran elephants reach a shoulder height of between 2 and 3.2 m (6.6 and 10.5 ft), weigh between 2,000 and 4,000 kg (4,400 and 8,800 lb), and have 20 pairs of ribs. Their skin color is lighter than of maximus and indicus with least depigmentation.[4]
[edit] Distribution of populations
The Sumatran elephant was once widespread on the island, and Riau Province was believed to have the largest elephant population in Sumatra with over 1,600 individuals in the 1980s.[1] In 1985, an island-wide rapid survey suggested that between 2,800 and 4,800 elephants lived in all eight mainland provinces of Sumatra in 44 populations. Twelve of these populations occurred in Lampung Province, where only three populations were extant in 2002 according to surveys carried out between September 2000 and March 2002. The population in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park was estimated at 498 individuals, while the population in Way Kambas National Park was estimated at 180 individuals. The third population in Gunung Rindingan–Way Waya complex was considered to be too small to be viable over the long-term.[5]
By 2008, elephants had become locally extinct in 23 of the 43 ranges identified in Sumatra in 1985, indicating a very significant decline of the Sumatran elephant population up to that time. By 2008, the elephant was locally extinct in West Sumatra Province and at risk of being lost from North Sumatra Province too. In Riau Province only about 350 elephants survived across nine separate ranges.[1]
[edit] Threats
The remaining population is threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and as a result of conflict with humans.[1]
65% of Sumatran elephant deaths are because of human persecution.[citation needed] 30% of this human persecution is through poisoning because of fear of the animal.[citation needed] 83% of the Sumatran elephant's former habitat has now been turned into plantations; this means that the elephant has to learn to adapt to new habitats if it is to live.[citation needed]
[edit] Conservation
Elephas maximus is listed on CITES Appendix I. Sumatran elephants are protected under Indonesia law.[1]
In 2004, the Tesso Nilo National Park has been established in Riau province to protect the Sumatran elephant's habitat. This forest is one of the last areas large enough to support a viable population of elephants.[6]
[edit] In captivity
In 1986 the Indonesian government started establishing Elephant Training Centers intended to capture and train elephants for use in logging, patrol work, and tourism. Currently there are six provincial centres on 11 separate sites, that hold approximately 400 elephants.[7]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f Gopala, A., Hadian, O., Sunarto, Sitompul, A., Williams, A., Leimgruber, P., Chambliss, S.E., Gunaryadi, D. (2011). "Elephas maximus ssp. sumatranus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/199856.
- ^ Shoshani, Jeheskel (16 November 2005). "Order Proboscidea (pp. 90-91)". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). p. 90. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=11500007.
- ^ Shoshani, J., Eisenberg, J.F. (1982) Elephas maximus. Mammalian Species 182: 1–8
- ^ Shoshani, J. (2006) Taxonomy, Classification, and Evolution of Elephants In: Fowler, M. E., Mikota, S. K. (eds.) Biology, medicine, and surgery of elephants. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 0813806763. Pp. 3–14
- ^ Hedges, S., Tyson, M. J., Sitompul, A. F., Kinnaird, M. F., Gunaryadi, D., Aslan. (2005). Distribution, status, and conservation needs of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Lampung Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Biological Conservation 124: 35–48.
- ^ WWF International - Sumatran elephant species profile, retrieved 7 November 2010
- ^ Elephant Care International: Sumatran Elephant Field Project, retrieved 7 November 2010
[edit] External links
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