Elephants play a vital role in maintaining forest and savannah ecosystems. This maintenance not only works for the environment but other species as well. In this way, elephants are integrally tied to rich biodiversity and are important ecosystem engineers.
As keystone species, elephants help maintain the biodiversity of their inhabited ecosystems. Even when they wander here and there in densely forested habitats, they open the way for other animals to move from one spot to another. Another interesting fact about the benefit of elephant existence is that a single elephant footprint can enable a micro-ecosystem.
How?
When filled with water, an elephant’s footprint can provide a habitat for tadpoles and other tiny organisms. Although elephants have been serving many benefits, men failed to appreciate them. Instead, due to hunting, poaching, and similar human activities, the elephant population had been decreased to the level of endangered species. As a result of poor knowledge, elephants had been killed and not taken care of as much as they deserved.
But now, with the dissemination of knowledge and awareness, men have become more concerned about the welfare of elephants. In this regard, the wildlife department of Sri Lanka has designed a wildlife team specially dedicated to the welfare of elephants. Whenever an individual or multiple elephants are in trouble or going through tough phases of their life, the wildlife team is always there to help them through.
As you can see, this baby elephant has a wound on its trunk and is suffering from pain. Since the trunk is one of the most critical organs of an elephant, anything wrong with the trunk can lead to this animal not being able to carry out its normal life activities. So, it’s necessary to make it heal as soon as possible.
The wildlife team is properly trained and experienced to handle such situations quite effectively. They treat the elephants peacefully without making them anxious. When needed, they also restrain or anesthetize the animals to carry out the standard procedures. However, for small wounds like this, they provide the medications while the elephant is conscious.
No doubt, the wildlife department of Sri Lanka is giving its best to the elephant welfare and it is bearing fruit as well.
