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Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) populations are in serious decline throughout their range. Once roaming in the millions from Mesopotamia to China and south to Sri Lanka and Sumatra, Asian Elephant range and numbers have contracted dramatically over the last century and now only a fraction of the original population remain scattered in highly fragmented places. This progressive decline is largely due to human population growth, habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as ongoing illegal capture, killing and trade. Overall, fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants remain in the wild scattered across 13 nations, and about 2,000 of them are found in Myanmar. In the past, the biggest challenge to elephant survival in Myanmar has been habitat loss (forest). The region’s already dense human populations continue to grow, expanding into elephant territory and forcing the pachyderms into smaller and smaller habitats.
In a recent disturbing trend, elephants in Myanmar are now being poached for their skin and other body parts. Since 2013, more than 110 elephants have been reported killed, primarily in the Bago Yoma and Ayeyarwady Delta, due to lack of antipoaching patrols. Further, ivory and other elephant parts are routinely smuggled out of Myanmar and retail dealers openly display ivory and other elephant parts.
Unlike neighboring countries, Myanmar still has large tracts of relatively intact forests which, if adequately protected, could be a major stronghold for Asian elephants. With efficient land use planning, law enforcement, and forest protection, the potential to maintain or regain larger viable populations of elephants is possible.
Hunting of elephants in Myanmar is mainly to satisfy the demand for ivory and live elephants respectively, and not to provide a source of protein through the consumption of elephant meat. Unfortunately, there is little detailed information on the overall scale and dynamics of the wildlife trade in Myanmar and investment in tackling the illegal and unsustainable trade has been severely limited. Unlike African Elephants (Loxodonta africana), where both sexes carry tusks, only the male Asian Elephant has tusks (females very rarely do) limiting their illegal hunting for ivory.
ESI urgent actions to protect Asian elephant in Myanmar:
To train 100 antipoaching teams targeting Myanmar’s most vulnerable areas. We must train, equip, and deploy field ranger teams to stop wildlife illegal activities.
To support the creation of new and large rainforest protected areas in Myanmar.
To support local communities in sustainable economic alternatives including eco-tourism within elephant habitat.
To incorporate biodiversity and nature conservation in school programs in particular in environmental sensitive areas, where protection of wild elephants is urgently needed.
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