The Asian Elephant is the lesser known of the two species of Elephant; the most well-known Elephant species is the African Elephant. As their names suggest, the African Elephant can be found on the continent of Africa, whereas the Asian Elephant can be found in the continent of Asia. They are two different species of Elephant.
Asian Elephant Population
Asian Elephants are not as populous as their African cousins. The population of African Elephants is over 400,000. Whereas, the population of Asian Elephants is less than 50,000. This means that Asian Elephants are much more vulnerable to extinction than African Elephants: Asian Elephants are currently classed as 'endangered.'
Why Are Asian Elephants Endangered?
There are two main reasons why these animals are endangered. The first reason why these animals are endangered; is because of habitat loss. The destruction of their habitat is one key reason for them being endangered. The second reason why these animals are declining: is due to the illegal wildlife trade. The illegal wildlife trade is causing the decline of Asian Elephants because people are hunting them and trying to profit off of the bodies of the Asian Elephants.
The Asian Elephant Subspecies
Unlike the African Elephant which has two subspecies, the Asian Elephant has a total of four subspecies. These fours subspecies are: (1) the Borneo Pygmy Elephant, (2) Sri Lankan Elephant, (3) Sumatran Elephant, and (4) the Indian Elephant. The Borneo Elephant is the most vulnerable to extinction, as they are endangered. Whereas, the Indian Elephant is the subspecies of Elephant which is the most populous in Asia.
Borneo Pygmy Elephant
The Borneo Pygmy Elephant is an endangered species; there are thought to be fewer than 1,500 in the wild today.
The Sri Lankan Elephant
The Sri Lankan Elephant is an endangered species. It's unknown how many of them there are exactly. However, there are thought to be between 2,500 and 4,000 Sri Lankan Elephant individuals in the wild today.
The Sumatran Elephant
The Sumatran Elephant is classed as critically endangered. Today, there is thought to be between 2,400 and 2,800 Sumatran Elephant individuals in the wild today.
The Indian Elephant
The Indian Elephant is the most populous of all of the Asian Elephant. Currently, there are between 20,000 and 25,000 Indian Elephant individuals in the wild today. They are an endangered species.
How You Can Help Asian Elephants
Asian Elephants are in decline, this is due to a mixture of habitat loss, and the illegal wildlife trade. It is up to us to ensure that these animals are preserved for future generations. You can help these animals by adopting an Asian Elephant with the WWF.