Of these, the number of savannah mammals decreased by 70%, and forest mammals by 90%. The main reasons for this were poaching and habitat loss.
The scientists used population data collected from 475 sites in 37 countries from 1964 to 2016. In some places, elephants have disappeared, while in others their populations have increased thanks to conservation efforts โ for example, in southern Africa, elephant numbers have increased by 42%.
The total population of the two species as of 2016, the last year of the study period, was between 415,000 and 540,000 elephants.
Elephants are poached for their tusks , which are sold illegally on the international black market, largely due to demand for ivory in China and other parts of Asia. Agricultural expansion is a major driver of habitat loss.
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