Gabon holds about 95,000 African forest elephants, according to results of a survey by the World Conservation Society and the National Agency for National Parks of Gabon, using DNA extracted from dung. Previous estimates put the population at between 50,000 and 60,000 or about 60% of remaining African forest elephants. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)PONGARA NATIONAL PARK, Gabon (AP) — Loss of habitat and poaching have made African forest elephants a critically endangered species. Counting forest elephants is a far bigger challenge than surveying plains-dwelling savanna elephants from the air. Previous estimates put the population at 50,000 to 60,000 — or about 60% of the world’s remaining African forest elephants.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 18, 2021 13:14 UTC