Asian elephant

The Asian elephant is vulnerable to climate change due to high freshwater requirements, sensitivity to extreme heat, and low adaptive capacity caused by habitat fragmentation and slow reproductive rates. While generalist feeding habits provide some resilience, the species faces significant threats from invasive plants, disease, and human-elephant conflict, which may be exacerbated by climate stressors. Recommended strategies include securing freshwater sources, maintaining connected habitats, and supporting human adaptation to reduce encroachment and conflict.

• Asian elephants possess certain traits that provide resilience, such as being generalists that occur across diverse habitats and feed on various vegetation, but they are vulnerable due to declining population sizes, sensitivity to high temperatures, and susceptibility to disease.
• The species has a low adaptive capacity to climate change, driven by limited dispersal ability resulting from habitat fragmentation, long generation times (20–25 years), slow reproductive rates, and moderate genetic variation.
• Freshwater requirements are a critical vulnerability; elephants drink up to 225 liters per day and move in response to water stress, making them highly dependent on water availability for daily activities, reproduction, and migration.
• Climate change is projected to increase the magnitude and frequency of extreme heat events and heavy rain in South and Southeast Asia, while South Asia specifically is projected to see decreased precipitation during the dry season.
• Climate stressors on humans may increase existing threats to elephants, including habitat loss, poaching, and human-elephant conflict, as people change their livelihoods to adapt to climate change.

APA

Advani, N. (2015). Asian elephant. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/807/3cpzwdpvr3_Asian_elephant___WWF_wildlife_and_climate_change_series.pdf

Chicago

Advani, Nikhil. Asian elephant. WWF International, 2015. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/807/3cpzwdpvr3_Asian_elephant___WWF_wildlife_and_climate_change_series.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Advani |first1=Nikhil |title=Asian elephant |publisher=WWF International |date=2015 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/807/3cpzwdpvr3_Asian_elephant___WWF_wildlife_and_climate_change_series.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{advani2015asian, author = {Advani, Nikhil}, title = {{Asian elephant}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2015}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/807/3cpzwdpvr3_Asian_elephant___WWF_wildlife_and_climate_change_series.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }