Climate Change Threatens African Wildlife, Impacting Great Apes and Elephants

Climate Change Threatens African Wildlife, Impacting Great Apes and Elephants
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 04, 2024

Recent studies have underscored the dire impact climate change is poised to have on African wildlife, with both African great apes and older elephants identified as particularly vulnerable to the changing climate. These findings highlight the urgent need for conservation efforts to adapt to the challenges posed by a warming world.

A study led by Razak Kiribou at Haramaya University in Ethiopia, published in the PLOS Climate journal, reveals that African apes are already experiencing the adverse effects of climate change. Researchers focused on 363 sites across Africa, analyzing climate data from 1981 to 2010 and projecting future climate scenarios. The study predicts a significant increase in extreme weather events such as wildfires, heatwaves, and flooding over the next 30 years, affecting almost all sites.

Specifically, under a scenario limiting warming to 2C above pre-industrial levels, 84% of the sites are expected to face frequent heatwaves, and 78% to experience infrequent flooding. A more severe scenario, with global temperatures rising by 3C, anticipates even higher frequencies of these extreme events. This research marks the first to document the current and anticipated impacts of climate change on African great apes, underscoring the necessity for conservation plans to bolster the resilience of ape populations against climate change.

Complementing this, a modeling study by Simon Nampindo of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Timothy Randhir of the University of Massachusetts, published in PLOS Sustainability and Transformation, focuses on the vulnerability of older African elephants to climate-induced changes. The study, which utilizes historical climate, vegetation, and elephant population data from the Greater Virunga Landscape, projects that older elephants, particularly those in the 41-50 and over 50 age groups, are at the highest risk of being adversely affected by climate change.

This is alarming given the crucial role older elephants play in social structures, such as passing down knowledge to younger members of their groups. The study suggests that habitat conservation, water management, and climate policies could mitigate these impacts, emphasizing the importance of international and community cooperation in conserving elephant habitats and water resources.

African elephants, known for their ecological roles in habitat creation, seed dispersal, and soil fertilization, are facing declining populations due to habitat loss and human conflict, issues expected to worsen with climate change. The studies collectively illustrate the interconnectedness of climate change impacts on different species and the broader ecosystem.

The findings from these studies present a compelling case for the urgent integration of climate change adaptation into conservation planning for African wildlife. As the frequency of extreme climate events increases, the resilience of vulnerable species like the great apes and older elephants will depend heavily on concerted conservation efforts. These efforts will require not only local and national initiatives but also international cooperation to ensure the survival of these iconic species in the face of escalating climate challenges.

Research Report:Exposure of African ape sites to climate change impacts

Research Report:Dynamic modeling of African elephant populations under changing climate and habitat loss across the Greater Virunga Landscape