Only 1000 Bornean elephants left in the wild

Human activities like farming, mining, and logging on the island of Borneo have endangered Bornean elephants, wildlife experts reported on Thursday.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that about 1,000 Bornean elephants remain in the wild. The IUCN’s “Red List” tracks the risk of animals becoming extinct.

Unless protected, animals listed as “critically endangered” are at extreme risk of extinction. Bornean elephants are listed as “endangered,” meaning they are also at high risk of extinction if nothing is done.

“It’s a small population, and it could easily disappear if we just let development happen without any conservation actions,” said Craig Hilton-Taylor, head of the IUCN Red List Unit, about the Bornean elephants.

In the past 75 years, Bornean elephants have lost much of their habitat due to extensive logging. They now often enter areas dominated by humans to find food, which can lead to crop destruction and sometimes causes people to kill them in revenge.

Agriculture, timber plantations, mining, and major construction projects have further reduced their habitat.

The governments of Malaysia and Indonesia, which control parts of Borneo where the elephants live, have created conservation plans. These plans need cooperation from companies, private landowners, and conservationists.

Authorities want to create safe corridors for elephants to move between different parts of their habitat.

Bornean Elephants

Bornean elephants, also known as pygmy elephants, are a subspecies of the Asian elephant. They are smaller than their mainland counterparts, with shorter trunks and rounder faces.

Found primarily in the tropical rainforests of Borneo, they are characterized by their gentle nature and preference for dense forest habitats.