African forest elephants show population recovery as new dna study reveals 145,000 individuals despite ongoing threats

A groundbreaking population assessment has revealed that more than 145,000 African forest elephants currently inhabit Africa’s rainforests, marking the first comprehensive count since these critically endangered giants were recognized as a distinct species in 2021. The study, published in December by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s African Elephant Specialist Group, employed advanced DNA-based techniques to track these elusive creatures across their dense forest habitats.

The eight-year survey effort, spanning from 2016 to 2024, covered approximately three-quarters of the forest elephant’s known range through 153 separate population studies. Researchers directly counted 135,690 elephants and estimate an additional 11,000 inhabit unsurveyed areas, bringing the total population to just over 145,000 individuals. The assessment included 22 previously unstudied elephant populations, mostly in Central Africa, providing the most complete picture to date of these shy giants that easily disappear into dense forest undergrowth.

African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) primarily inhabit Central Africa’s rainforests, with declining populations in West Africa and smaller groups scattered across East and Southern Africa. While the new numbers offer hope, conservation scientist Fiona Maisels from the Wildlife Conservation Society notes that significant challenges remain. Though poaching has decreased compared to previous decades, habitat loss and human encroachment continue threatening these ecosystem engineers, whose role in seed dispersal makes them crucial for maintaining Africa’s forest biodiversity.