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Climate change endangers elephants

31 January 2013, by Harriet Jarlett


Baby elephants

Calves are most at risk from rising temperatures

Hannah Mumby from the University of Sheffield, who led the study, found that the already endangered species faces further struggle as even the slightest temperature change can lower their chances of survival dramatically.

Climate change leaves the animals at risk of drought, disease and death as the heat causes freshwater supplies to dwindle, infectious diseases to spread faster and brings with it one of the biggest killers of elephants in Myanmar - heat stroke.



She continues: 'We found that the youngest elephants, the calves, are quite susceptible to extremes. Once we move out of their optimal to their maximum temperature, it doubles their mortality risk .'

'If the climate changes by even a few degrees it can substantially reduce survival.'
Hannah Mumby- University of Sheffield


The variations in temperature between seasons in Myanmar are already large, but the climate projections show that not only will temperatures rise but there will be fewer monsoon months. The higher the rainfall, the better the chance of survival is for the elephants; dryer hotter months could prove to be fatal.



Mumby, Hannah S., Alexandre Courtiol, Khyne U. Mar, and Virpi Lummaa. In press. Climatic variation and age-specific survival in Asian elephants from Myanmar. Ecology



Your comments

slight change in climate affects so many species,in case of elephant- they need dense forest cover that solve problem of habitat N is vulnerable human activity with extreme use of technology that gearing up temp rising ,unable babies of ele to complete their life cycle so as its numbers.overall human must provide sustainable N recyclable habitat for independent survival under strict human watch N protection.on 2FEB my student arranged a essey comp on title:save the elephant"

gajendra kotesa, sirohi(india)
Sunday, 3 February 2013 - 17:56


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