Asian Elephant

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I watch as my calf dances through the tall grasses. He's so small that he's nearly hidden by plants, but I don't lose sight of him for a second. Innocence is displayed every time he squeaks at a nearby bird or waves his trunk about with the lack of control all calves have. He still hasn't gained all his muscles there yet. I'm happy he cannot understand the desperate situation we are in. Let him enjoy catching butterflies for a little while longer. He doesn't need to understand the concept of survival just yet.

I pray my mother, the matriarch of the herd, is correct. She thinks she remembers a water source from years ago which is so huge it can't possibly dry up in this drought. Two days of searching for water hopelessly has made it hard for me to believe her, but she is wise, and the only hope we have. My calf is only two months old, and I want to make sure he has a long life like my mother. My entire herd is hoping for his survival and I know we will stop at nothing to make sure he grows to the high age he deserves.

We plod solemnly through the grasses, with only my calf enjoying himself. The sun is rising in a tender, salmon pink sky, casting a sea of perpetual orange across the grasses. The warmth on my tough skin feels absolute and I feel the rusty brown hairs on the top of my head prickle. The world around my family may be changing every day, but the sun still rises and falls without fail – a constant reminder that the world I grew up in is still the same my calf will too.

There may be strange new plants growing that we cannot eat, and we may have to trek for days to find water, and farmers may have tried shooting us when we stumbled onto their land, but maybe hope is not lost. I know my calf can adapt to this turbulent world. I am simply afraid I might not be much help to him. My knowledge of this land is perhaps a little out of date. As a calf, I do not remember ever needing to fear drought, because the water never dried up. The humans didn't shoot at us because their towns were miles away from where we resided, but now we are all mixed up together, and there's so many more of them than us.

I try to focus on the grass crunching beneath my feet and cast the memories of the men with the guns to the back of my head. It isn't a world I want my calf growing up in. I want him to stay dancing among the grasses and insects for ever.

The matriarch stops dead in her tracks. We all sense it too. Only a few of us were alive when it happened, but we can all feel the tragedy. The bones of our ancestors are buried beneath our feet. We remain silent to honour them, and consider their deaths, then we move on.

Death is a feeling all too prevalent these days.

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There are many interesting facts I could list about the Asian Elephant. But perhaps the most important fact about these amazing creatures is that they are endangered. It's estimated that there is only 40,000 – 30,000 left in the wild, a decline of around 50% in the last three generations. There's a number of reasons for this decrease, all of which are because of humans.

Sometimes it's because of human and elephant conflict. Often though, it's because of habitat loss, with humans urbanising the elephants' habitat. This leads to the elephants being more spread out across Asia, making it harder to reproduce.

And with the climate warming up, Asian elephants are facing many other threats. New and invasive plant species are now able to grow where they couldn't before and are outcompeting the elephant's normal food source. Elephants also need to drink at least once and day, but with drought becoming more common, securing a sustainable water source is becoming increasingly difficult.

Asian elephants also find it very hard to adapt - something that all animals will need to do if we don't slow the rate of climate change. So instead of expecting elephants to adapt, humans need to help save these wonderful animals before it gets too late. This means we need to focus on making sure they get fresh water, and maintain and increase a connected habitat, control invasive plant species, and so on. The best thing you can do however, is simply try to limit your carbon footprint and minimise your impact on global warming.

Frankly, if we don't do anything, all elephants will become extinct, not just Asian ones, since elephants in general are considered endangered. Do you really want children to grow up without knowing what an elephant is?

Story written by landoC13 and information by DazzieSh

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⏰ Last updated: Jul 15, 2020 ⏰

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