Environmental Science Abstract

Environmental Science Abstract Student Name Institutional Affiliation Environmental Science Abstract Abstract The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) has become an endangered species. Currently, it occupied only a fraction of its historical range. India and Nepal harbor more than 60% of the total population of Asian elephants (Sukumar, 2006). Specifically in India, the Asia Elephant is under threat because it has to survive in human-dominated habitats (Shaffer et al., 2018, Srinivasaiah et al., 2012). The issue will escalate in the future with the increasing population hence the need for more agricultural land. The land-use changes because of urbanization, industrialization, and transportation have made it challenging for the species to survive in India (Choudhury et al., 2008). The sensitivity of the Asian elephant to high temperatures and its low adaptive capacity have made it challenging for the species to deal with the challenge of global warming. The loss of habitat because of global warming and human activities have made it challenging for the species to thrive (Kanagaraj et al., 2019; Muhumuza & Balkwill, 2013). With climate change, there is a risk of drought, disease, and death to the dwindling of freshwater supplies (Gornall et al., 2010). A study by Calabrese and others (2017) seeks to establish how habitat and governance influence the conservation of Asian elephants. The analyses were based on “low/high” index of elephant abundance that was derived from (Hedges et al., 2009). The researchers compiled the data on the basis of both habitat and governance-related drivers. The results of the study demonstrate that while the needs of the Asian elephant are complex, they can still thrive in human-modified environment. The species requires substantial forest cover alongside the undergoing agricultural activities. According to (DeFries, Karanth & Pareeth (2010), buffer zones should be established between human and Asian elephants. Further, the results demonstrate that an equal proportion of forest to agriculture leads to elephant abundance. With the decreasing habitat for Asian elephants due to climate change and human activities, there is a need to balance land use for both humans and elephants. Additionally, it is critical to work towards dealing with global warming to prevent more Asian elephants from dying...