Sumatran Elephant
"Sumatran Elephant" by Charity Oetgen (Watercolor)
Habitat
As its name suggests, the Sumatran Elephant is found exclusively on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It prefers lowland forest and hills and does not live above 300 meters.
Family Life
The Sumatran Elephant lives in groups called herds; the mothers watch their children, while the males look for threatening danger. The Sumatran elephant follows strict migration routes that are determined by the monsoon season. Like other elephants, Sumatran elephants are sociable animals and need large areas of land with enough food and shelter for populations to flourish.
Lifespan
The average lifespan of the Sumatran Elephant is 60 years.
Hunting Habits/Diet
Sumatran elephants are herbivorous. They eat a wide variety of vegetation like grasses, leaves, shoots, barks, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Sumatran Elephants often use their long trunks to assist them in gathering food.
Population
The Sumatran Elephant is extremely rare today, with estimates suggesting a population of just over 2,000 left in the wild.
Why are they Endangered?
Sumatran Elephants are suffering primarily due to habitat loss in the form of deforestation. Over half of their habitat in the lowland Sumatran forests has been lost to human use in the past 25 years.
Status
Critically Endangered
