November 13, 1995
Web posted at: 4:15 p.m. EST (2115 GMT)
(CNN) -- The Asian elephant looks so big and powerful that it is hard to imagine anything threatening it. But these creatures are more than threatened: the Asian elephant is an endangered species, one of the most endangered on the planet.
"In just the last 10 years we've seen the population drastically decline," said Don Henry of the World Wildlife Fund. "Unless we act now, in the next five to 10 years, and really save those remaining forests, help reduce conflicts between people and elephants, the future is very bleak indeed, unfortunately."
The World Wildlife Fund is calling for urgent action to save the Asian elephant. In recent years, cracking down on poachers who trade in ivory has significantly aided efforts to save the African elephant. But for the Asian elephant, the ivory trade is just a small part of the problem. The disappearance of rain forests of Asia are the biggest threat they face.
Henry says that Asian elephants used to be found from the Middle East through China, but can now only be found from India through Vietnam. "They are in real trouble. Only about 20 percent of the forests in their original (range) remain and so their homes are disappearing on them," he said. "The international community has to rally behind conservation efforts in India, Vietnam, Laos and elsewhere to help these countries save these fantastic creatures, which we'd hate to lose from earth."
It is estimated that there are fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants left. Most of them live in small, constantly shrinking pockets of rain forest. Making new rain forest is almost impossible; even keeping the old will be difficult. Conservationists say time is running out.
Henry believes that an important part of our heritage would be lost if Asian elephants disappeared. "The Asian elephant is a magnificent animal, and of course in Asia for many communities, they are viewed as gods," he said. "So we've got to do a better job to save those forests that are the homes for these fantastic creatures that are part of our lives and should be part of our children's lives."
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