Asian elephants have lost 64% of their suitable habitat, scientists say
Asian elephants have been losing significant portions of their suitable habitat for the past several centuries. Habitats for Asian elephant s have decreased by more than 64% across the continent, equating to about 3.3 million square kilometers -- more than 850 million acres -- since the year 1700, according to a new study published Thursday in Scientific Reports. The timeframe coincides with colonial-era use of land in South Asia and the agricultural intensification that followed. Biologically, elephants are important for their ecosystems and are nicknamed the "ecosystem engineers," author Shermin de Silva, an assistant professor of ecology at the University of California, San Diego, and founder of elephant conservation nonprofit Trunks & Leaves, told ABC News. Elephants roam in Minneriya, a large reservoir in Sri Lanka. Shermin de Silva The findings are significant because Asian elephants are extremely adaptable and able to live in a range of habitats, including open gra...