subject: The Species of the African Elephant [print this page] The Species of the African Elephant The Species of the African Elephant
The Bush and the Forest Elephants were formerly considered as subspecies of the same species Loxodonta Africana. This has been a source of a lot of argument where evidence has been put forward to suggest that they should be in different species. Up to date, no concrete solution has been reached. The African forest elephant has longer and narrower mandible, round ears, straighter and downward tusks, a different number of toenails is is considerably smaller than its counter part the bush elephant.
The African Bush Elephant has 4 toenails on the front foot and 3 on the hind feet. The African elephant has 5 toenails on the front foot and 4 on the hind foot. Other species that were there but are now extinct are the Loxodonta adaurora, Loxodonta atlantica and Loxodonta exaptata. Loxodonta adaurora is presumed to be the antecedent of the modern African elephants. Poaching reduced significantly the population of the African elephant. If we look at the elephant population in the country of Chad, they were about 400,000 in the 1970s. In 2006 only about 10,000 remained.
Most African countries are giving the animals' state protection. In some countries like Kenya, it is a criminal offence to be found handling anything to do with the elephant. Elephant orphanages have been opened to try and raise the orphaned young then realize them to the wild. Here, the population of the African elephant has started rising steadily. Human encroachment in to natural areas where the elephants live is also affecting the population of the African elephant.
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