African Elephant Populations Plummet by 70% Over Five Decades

A comprehensive study highlights the drastic decline in elephant numbers across Africa, driven by habitat loss and poaching.

The international study, published in PNAS, indicates a 70% decline in savanna elephants and a 90% drop in forest elephants since 1964.
Human activities, including habitat conversion for agriculture and the illegal ivory trade, are major threats to elephant survival.
The study analyzed data from 475 regions across 37 African countries, making it the most extensive survey of its kind.
Elephant populations are under severe pressure in East Africa and the Sahel, while some stability is seen in protected areas of southern Africa, notably Botswana.
Researchers warn that actual declines may be worse than reported, as most data comes from protected areas where threats are less severe.