African savanna elephants are found in 23 countries and live in a variety of habitats, from open and wooded savannas to even some deserts and forests. The largest populations are in Southern and Eastern African countries, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, and South Africa.
Given their tremendous size and strength, and because they gather in groups, elephants have few predators to worry about. Lions, hyenas, and crocodiles may attempt to prey on young or sick elephants. However, elephants are often successful at fending off predators, protecting their young, and defending sick or injured herd mates.
For example, when a matriarch detects a nearby predator, she will herd offspring together and all other adult females in the group will form an outward facing circle around them, providing many layers of protection from the would-be attacker. Elephants are most vulnerable to, and threatened by, humans. Demand for elephant tusks – the main source of commercial ivory – has led to aggressive poaching that has decimated elephant populations across Africa.
Elephants may also fall victim to farmers defending their crops or local residents fearful of interactions with elephants. Although it is illegal to kill wild African elephants, it has proven extremely difficult to eradicate poaching and other elephant killings.
