Severe New Challenges To Future Of India's Elephants

Severe New Challenges To Future Of India’s Elephants

Recognized by its smaller size and significantly smaller ears, Indian elephants aren’t poached for ivory in the same numbers as in Africa, because only the male Indian elephants has tusks. Nevertheless, the expanding Asian middle class is fueling the demand for killing Indian elephants, too, resulting in a severely skewed sex ratio that impacts breeding rates for the species.

In a 2010 Independent UK article, the drastic gender gap was estimated to be just one male elephant for 100 females.