The Elephants in the Room?

It's not just poaching that threatens the survival of the African elephant. Human conflict has a powerful influence as is illustrated by reports from the Borno region of NE Nigeria (https://www.blackstarnews.com/global-politics/africa/hunger-fears-in-north-east-nigeria-as-roaming-elephants). Here, around 250 elephant, that were normally found in Chad and Cameroon, have drifted into a region where villages have been largely emptied (with the creation of thousands of refugees) by years of attacks by the Boko Haram group. The animals formerly avoided the villages. The elephants are now endangered by the former villagers who are worried about their crops being trampled, as well as by the Islamists (who see them as sources of food and ivory). It's a sad reflection of how human behaviour impacts on endangered animals.