In India, while poaching for tusks continues to be a large-scale phenomenon, it is the man-elephant conflict which has been creating a furore. The pachyderm is accorded with the highest degree of protection in Indian laws under the Schedule-1 of the Wildlife Protection Act. According to Project Elephant, three percent of India’s land total surface [...]
The ivory trade is primarily driven by burgeoning demand in Asia, especially among China’s newly wealthy middle classes. Ivory is seen as a symbol of status and money. As wealth has grown in China so has the demand for ivory pieces which include an array of items from intricately carved statues to chopsticks and cell [...]
Habitat destruction, fragmentation and degradation is a severe threat to elephant populations. Rapid human population growth, particularly in Asia, is also leading to competition for space and as a consequence conflict between humans and elephants is on the increase, often resulting in "revenge killings". Poaching for ivory is also a major threat, particlarly to African [...]
