Have you heard about the American mastodon and wooly mammoth? Well, these are the names of two extinct species from the order Proboscidea of mammals.
Now, the only remaining members of this order are elephants – the “Keystone species” in this order. What is a keystone species? Is it something important to discuss?
Of course! If a keystone specie gets extinct or disappears through removal, the whole ecosystem would change drastically. The survival of other species in the ecosystem significantly relies on these keystone species.
Elephants are migratory in the wild. Therefore, they walk miles each day. They form complex family structures and mourn for their dead friends and family more impulsively. But, what’s even more interesting is that they show humor and express compassion.
Elephants live in herds with a very specific social structure. These herds mostly consist of daughters, sisters, and their offsprings, and are mostly led by the oldest female, called a matriarch. The male elephants, however, stay with the herd only through adolescence and move away as they grow older. They stay independent but band together sometimes in bachelor pods.
The wildlife department of Sri Lanka has done a significant contribution to saving elephants that had reached near-to-extinct levels. The GPS tracking system has helped the wildlife officers and authorities in many terms like monitoring the movements of elephants for various purposes.
This time these giant elephants have entered the village while walking through the wild and the wildlife team is trying to fix the GPS tracking collars to them. Although gentle, elephants are still giant animals. Their actions cannot be completely predicted. Therefore, it is better to restrain the animal before approaching it. There are also certain positions from where animals are approached.
Thanks and much appreciation to the highly qualified wildlife team that is experienced in every aspect of wildlife. With dedication and expertise, the wildlife team succeeds in fixing the GPS tracking collar to the elephants. Now their movements will be monitored and they will be approached in case of any difficulty like wounds, sickness, or other issues.
