Asian Elephants

1. Asian Elephants Hailey Montville Period 6 April 7th

2. Environment • Found in the southeast Asia region • Can be found in grasslands, tropical forest, and deciduous forest • 170-200 kilograms of food per day, which consist of grass and crops • They have no natural predators, but some weaker elephants are targeted by tigers

3. Without them… • The economy would suffer because they attract many tourist • Farming and forestry would become a much more complicated task in these regions • Used for many religious ceremonies and festivals

4. Protection • World wildlife fund • TRAFFIC (working to ban poaching and domestic ivory) • The U.S has set up an anti-ivory station at every port; and if caught it is confiscated • Many wildlife conservations and zoo’s

5. How it happened… • The prices for ivory (animal tusks, teeth, etc.) went up over the past few decades. • Poaching is the illegal hunting of animals, so the prices went up for the buyers • If an elephant is approached, it naturally attacks which usually results in a death either way

6. What needs to be done • More poaching and domestic ivory laws should be put into place • Funding and wildlife conservation should continue, and if necessary, taken to another level • They shouldn’t be approached and should be allowed in their natural habitats without being bothered or harmed

7. Bibliography • http://www.uscites.gov/us-efforts-control-illegal-elephant-ivory-trade-and-internal-markets • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_elephant • http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/bhutan/projects/index.cfm?uProjectID=BT0884 • http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AsianElephants/factasianelephant.cfm