Climate Change Poses Greatest Threat to Older African Elephants, Study Finds
The loss of older elephants due to climate change could have significant ripple effects on ecosystems and other species, according to groundbreaking research.
- Groundbreaking research by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) reveals that older African elephants are most threatened by climate change, which could significantly reduce their survival rates and impact the species' overall resilience.
- The study, conducted in Africa's Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL), utilized a systems dynamic model to assess the impact of climate change on different age brackets of elephants, finding that older elephants are most at risk.
- Elephants, particularly older ones, play a crucial role in their ecosystems and their loss could trigger ripple effects throughout the landscape, including changing the genetic profiles and structures of elephant herds.
- The researchers have also modeled possible mitigation scenarios, which WCS is already implementing, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive management strategy at national, regional, and local levels to address threats such as poaching.
- The study's findings are significant not only for the conservation of elephants but also for other species such as lions and mountain gorillas, as efforts to protect elephants could benefit these species as well.
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