There had been approximately 200 000 Asian Elephants in Asia, around the start of the 21st century, however, in the most recent count (2014), that number has dropped to below 50 000.(5) Such a substantial decline in this endangered species is mainly because of habitat Loss and fragmentation, conflict with humans and elephant poaching and capture.(6)

 

The population of Asia has exponentially increased in the past century(5). This increase in population, is why so much of the Asian Elephants habitat is being lost. People are just taking their habitats, completely cutting it down and developing, urbanizing, making products or transforming into farmland more and more of the Asian Elephants habitats, making it unusable to the elephants.(5) Development of infrastructure such as, road and railways, through the habitat of the Asian Elephants, also fragments their population and isolates small groups of elephants. They become confined to small areas as their ancient routes for migration have been cut off. Due to this, the inability to mix with other herds, poses the great risk of them not being able to breed.(7) This, action of taking away or fragmenting their habitats, significantly increases the mortality rate of the Asian Elephants and is one of the main factors for their endangerment.(6)

 

When the Asian Elephants, habitats are faced with deforestation or infrastructure is developed, the elephants are also forced to come into close area with humans, which leads to brutal human – elephant conflict. (5) The Asian Elephants sometimes raid farmer’s crops in search of food or trample through small villages and may kill people on their way. This then leads to many people trying to kill the elephant, ending up with several dead elephants. This human – elephant conflict is another major factor in the decline of the species.(6)

 

Elephant poaching and capture is also another factor in the decline of the species. Although poaching or capturing elephants is illegal now, it was legal in the past, however it is not as much of a problem now as it was in the past. The elephants are sometimes captured for, live elephant trade.(5) Poachers kill the Asian Elephants mainly for their tusks because of the very high value for Ivory. Poachers mainly target the larger elephants, which are usually the adults, which leaves the baby elephants with nobody to teach them, which could lead to them dying. These actions of poaching and capturing also greatly reduce the numbers of the elephants and are factors for their endangerment.(6)