African forest elephants are being poached out of existence. A study just published in the online journal PLOS ONE shows that across their range in central Africa, a staggering（蹒跚的，令人惊愕的） 62 percent of all forest elephants have been killed for their ivory over the past decade. "The analysis confirms what conservationists have feared: the rapid trend towards extinction¹ -- potentially within the next decade -- of the forest elephant," says Dr. Samantha Strindberg of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), one of the lead authors of the study.

 

"Saving the species requires a coordinated² global effort in the countries where elephants occur -- all along the ivory smuggling³ routes, and at the final destination in the Far East. We don't have much time before elephants are gone," says the other lead author Dr. Fiona Maisels also of WCS.

 

The study, which examines the largest ever amount of Central African elephant survey data, comes as 178 countries gather in Bangkok to discuss wildlife trade issues, including poaching and ivory smuggling.

 

The study -- the largest ever conducted on the African forest elephant -- includes the work of more than 60 scientists between 2002 and 2011, and an immense effort by national conservation staff who spent 91,600 person-days surveying for elephants in five countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon and the Republic of Congo), walking over 13,000 kilometers (more than 8,000 miles) and recording⁴ over 11,000 samples for the analysis.

 

The paper shows that almost a third of the land where African forest elephants were able to live 10 years ago has become too dangerous for them.

 

Co-author Dr. John Hart of the Lukuru Foundation says: "Historically, elephants ranged right across the forests of this vast region of over 2 million square kilometers (over 772,000 square miles), but now cower⁵（退缩） in just a quarter of that area. Although the forest cover remains⁶, it is empty of elephants, demonstrating that this is not a habitat degradation⁷ issue. This is almost entirely⁸ due to poaching." Recent surveys from Democratic Republic of Congo showed a major decline of elephants in the Okapi Faunal⁹ Reserve, considered the last stronghold for elephants in the region.

 

Results show clearly that forest elephants were increasingly uncommon¹⁰ in places with high human density¹¹, high infrastructure¹² density such as roads, high hunting intensity¹³, and poor governance as indicated by levels of corruption¹⁴ and absence of law enforcement.

 

Distinct from the African savannah elephant, the African forest elephant is slightly smaller than its better known relative and is considered by many to be a separate species. They play a vital role in maintaining the biodiversity of one of Earth's critical carbon sequestering¹⁵ tropical forests.

 

Prof. Lee White CBE, head of Gabon's National Parks Service says: "A rain forest without elephants is a barren（贫瘠的） place. They bring it to life, they create the trails and keep open the forest clearings other animals use; they disperse¹⁶ the seeds of many of the rainforest trees -- elephants are forest gardeners at a vast scale. Their calls reverberate¹⁷（回响，反响） through the trees reminding us of the grandeur¹⁸（壮丽，庄严） of primeval nature. If we do not turn the situation around quickly the future of elephants in Africa is doomed¹⁹. These new results illustrate²⁰ starkly²¹ just how dramatic the situation has become. Our actions over the coming decade will determine whether this iconic species survives."

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