Sumatran Elephant

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Sumatran Elephant
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Proboscidea
Family: Elephantidae
Genus: Elephas
Species: E. maximus
Subspecies: E. m. sumatrensis
Trinomial name
Elephas maximus sumatrensis
Temminck, 1847

The Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximus sumatrensis) is a subspecies of the Asian Elephant. As the name suggests, the elephant is only found in Sumatra. The Sumatran Elephant is smaller than the Indian subspecies and is extremely endangered. A population survey conducted in 2000 estimated that only 2000 – 2700 wild elephants remain.[citation needed] 65% of Sumatran Elephant deaths are because of human persecution.[citation needed] 30% of this human persecution is through poisoning because of fear of the animal.[citation needed] 83% of the Sumatran Elephant's former habitat has now been turned into plantations; this means that the elephant has to learn to adapt to new habitats if it is to live.[citation needed]

[edit] References

  • Shoshani J, Eisenberg JF (1982) Elephas maximus. Mammalian Species 182: 1–8. Full text