The Sumatran elephant has been added to the list of Critically Endangered animals, joining the ranks of the Javan and Sumatran rhinos, Sumatran tiger and Sumatran orangutan.
WWF reported on Tuesday that the species could be extinct in the wild in less than 30 years unless immediate action is taken to ensure their survival.
Having lost 70 percent of its habitat, and with 2,400 to 2,800 of the animals left in the wild, there is imminent concern for the subspecies’ existence as figures suggest that only half of the population remains since 1985.
“Although as a species Sumatran elephants are protected under Indonesia law, 85 percent of their habitats which are located outside of protected areas, are outside of the protection system and likely to be converted to agricultural and other purposes,” according to the IUCN Red List.
The loss is said to come from deforestation, when elephant habitat makes way for agricultural purposes.
WWF has called for the government to cease all forest conversions until a conservation strategy is in place.
“In the mid-1980s, Sumatra had 44 elephant populations spread across all of its eight provinces, and the island still had half of its natural forests,” said Dr. A. Christy Williams, Head of WWF’s Asian Elephant Programme.
“Due to conversions of those forests for human settlement and agricultural production, many elephant populations have come into serious conflicts with humans. As a result, a large number of elephants have been captured from the wild or killed.”
Indonesia and its stakeholders, including the Indonesian government, oil palm companies, and the pulp and paper industry, are urged to work together and put in place proper protection mechanisms to preserve Sumatra’s natural forests before the country’s natural heritage is lost.
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