Every year, around 25,000 elephants still fall victim to poaching. 🤬🤬

The population of savanna elephants has increased by 42% in the southern regions of Africa. At the same time, forest elephants are under dramatic threat: their numbers have fallen by 90% in the last 50 years. According to the WWF, there are now fewer than 100,000 forest elephants living in Africa.

Elephants play a key role in ecosystems as they support and sustainably influence habitats. Despite their fame – African savanna elephants reach up to 4 metres in height at the shoulder and 7.5 metres in length – there is insufficient data on their exact numbers and level of endangerment.

An international research team found that the African elephant population has shrunk by 77% over the last 50 years. There are regional differences: while populations in southern Africa are growing, only 10% of the population in the east is recovering. There is no increase in the north of the continent - this is where the elephants are most at risk.