The Cause of Elephant Habitat in Asia Shrinking Drastically

VIVA – The forest area for elephant habitat in Asia shringking drastically by 67,635 kilometers during the period 2001-2018. Compared to 2000 data, the forest habitat of elephants in Asia is reduced by about 13.4 percent.

This stated is according to the International Research Center Data Institute for the Goals of the Sustainable Development Program, as quoted by Chinese media, Tuesday, August 23, 2022.

The China-founded research institute said that 73.7 percent of the forest area, or about 50,000 square kilometers, was shrinking in 19 Asian elephant ranges.

Although 13 countries in Asia that have elephant habitats have formulated protection and restoration programs in the past few decades, the loss of elephant habitats cannot be stopped.

The institude said through the academic journal Science Bulletin that it will become a serious problem in some countries. 

In the journal, it was stated that China lost about 285-square-kilometer forest of elephant habitat or about 0.4 percent of the total loss of elephant habitat in Asia. 

The Indochina peninsula lost 36,025 square kilometers or 53.3 percent and the Malay Archipelago, including Indonesia, 22,724 square kilometers or 33.6 percent.

The remaining 12.7 percent occurs in the Indian subcontinent which includes countries in the South Asian region.

According to the lead author of the journal, Luo Lei wrote that the results of the study also include factors that trigger the loss of forest elephant habitat in Asia.

According to him, 87 percent of the shrinking elephant habitat forest is a direct impact of logging and deforestation activities to expand agricultural and plantation land.

Luo Lei said the remaining 13 percent caused by fragmentation for mining purposes, residential areas, and infrastructure development such as reservoirs, dams, roads, railroads, and energy supply networks.