De Silva says another focus of her research was how the elephants impacted the Sri Lankan environment. Elephants till the soil with their tusks and dig large holes where water can collect. They also uproot trees, and plant seeds through their droppings.
Although elephants can come into conflict with humans if they raid or trample crops, de Silva says their activities can indirectly benefit humans too.
“If there aren’t elephants walking around dispersing seeds, there aren’t going to be any trees, and if there aren’t going to be trees of a particular kind that grow up to suck up water and create clouds, then that affects the water table. These are all indirect and long timescale interactions, but they are very important interactions.”
De Silva notes that poaching, habitat encroachment, climate change and other factors threaten wild Asian elephant herds, such as those in Uda Walawe.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, the population of Asian elephants has declined significantly in recent decades, and their survival in the wild is endangered.
De Silva says that is why it is essential to work with local people to find ways to live alongside these impressive creatures, in a way that will allow both human and elephant groups to thrive.
最新
2013-11-27
2013-11-27
2013-11-27
2013-11-27
2013-11-27
2013-11-27