The current condition of our environment is so critical that even the largest land animals, namely elephants, belong among the endangered animals. There are two main reasons why elephants are endangered: poaching (illegal hunting) and habitat loss. Illegal ivory trade is still very profitable business and many merciless poachers hunt and kill elephants just to make profits by selling precious ivory.
Recent estimates say that the black ivory market has worth of more than $12 billion dollars. Latest reports also say that around 40,000 African elephants are being killed each year because of valuable tasks. Precious ivory is the main reason why hundred years ago there were close to 10 millions elephants, and today there are less than half million elephants. If the current declining trend continues in less than 30 years elephants will go extinct.
Developed world is mostly to blame for this massacre because world leaders haven't done anything to stop poverty and hunger and Africa, which indirectly makes poaching in Africa lot easier. Rich countries need to develop ecological conscience as soon as possible or else African wildlife picture will permanently change with many famous animals going extinct. Stopping poachers will be a very difficult challenge because poaching has turned into the well-organized business, with international poaching gangs pulling the strings, driven by huge profits.
Poachers alone are big enough problem for survival of the elephants but there is also another big issue, habitat loss. Habitat loss is happening because human population is constantly increasing which leads to conflicts between elephants and men, and this in most cases results in death of these majestic animals. In Sri Lanka for instance these conflicts kill up to 150 elephants each year.
New roads built across central Africa shrink elephant habitats forcing them to settle into smaller and smaller habitat areas. And to make things even worse, new roads in Africa also make things lot easier for poaching gangs, which makes conservation efforts even more difficult.
The poor elephants feel that they are in great jeopardy, and one recent study has even showed that many African elephants have developed a "siege mentality" with populations becoming increasingly confined and isolated, as they sense fear for their lives.
An adult elephant consumes 140–270 kg (300–600 lb) of food a day, and the shrinkage of their territory means less food, which will likely lead to starvation of many individuals.
Poaching and human intrusion need to be stopped if we want to save elephants from extinction. If the world fails to do something about it, the only place where our children and grandchildren will be able to see elephants will be history books.
At the end take a look at these lovely video featuring elephants rolling in forest mudbath.