Africa’s Elephants Are in Peril—but Travel Could Help Protect Them
AFAR
4/29/2021
Jennifer Flowers
Photo by Kletr/Shutterstock
The African savanna elephant can live up to 70 years—and a new designation that classifies two types of elephants in Africa could offer new ways to protect them.If you’ve ever had an encounter with elephants—the world’s largest terrestrial mammals—you might be among the ranks of travelers who say it’s one of the most moving wildlife experiences of their lives. Elephants’ massive size, long trunks, and white tusks are a sight to behold. But most people are captivated more by their intelligence, curiosity, and sophisticated matriarchal social structures that challenge traditional ideas of what defines humanity.