Elephants are known for their large size and intelligence all over the world. They can be underestimated when it comes to their survival skills in the wild and zoos. Now more than ever, they need our help to keep them alive for many more years to come. From tropical forests in Asia to the savannas in Africa, these elephants need your help to survive. Take a look at how scary these Asian and African elephant facts are for the wild! 

A 100 of African elephants killed each day!

This fact is one of the most shocking African Elephants facts, but it’s the harsh reality. There is currently an international trade for ivory, but this isn’t stopping elephants from being poached. Poachers are still killing African elephants for their ivory. The ivory is being used for jewelry, statues or ornaments. 

There is a ban that was introduced by CITES has helped to diminish some of the poachings. It also has helped the African elephant populations recover. Right now, there are an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 African elephants in the wild. However, they are  still being sold in black markets or getting smuggled into countries where ivory trade is banned. 

Asian elephants are endangered. 

There are two different kinds of elephants in the world - Asian and African elephants. As their name indicates, they both live on two different contents. They differ in size, appearance and their IUCN status. African elephants are listed as vulnerable, which means a low risk of going extinct. 

On the other hand, Asian elephants are listed as endangered. They have a higher risk of disappearing. According to World WildLife, there are less than 50,000 living in the wild. While about 15,000 Asian elephants are living in captivity, these magnificent creatures are endangered because they are being poached for their tusks, losing their homes and being captured for tourist purposes. 

Elephants are not self-sustaining in captivity. 

You might have gotten your first glimpse of an elephant through a zoo. However, what many people don't know is that they aren't self-sustaining in captivity. One of the zoo's most beloved animals might be going extinct in captivity. In recent years, there have been more elephant deaths than births - for three births, there are five deaths annually. 

One of the reasons behind this is the lack of breeding bulls in captivity which has led to a decrease in genetic diversity. Plus, researchers have also found a reduction in infertility rates have increased over the seven years. Scientists have discovered it could be to an ovarian cycle disruption in elephants that are captivity. One cause could be due to their lack of exercise or diets that zoos need to reexamine. 

Don’t let these Asian and African elephant facts freeze you into place. Let them inspire you to help do your part to save these elephants from going extinct in captivity and the wild. You can help out by donating to continue our research to reverse the prediction of Extention for elephants! Donate or purchase our apparel to raise awareness today!