Forest Elephant

The African forest elephant is a smaller, more elusive relative of the African savanna elephant. Found in the dense tropical forests of Central and West Africa, these elephants are critical to their ecosystem, as they disperse seeds and create pathways in the forest. Forest elephants have rounded ears and straighter, downward-pointing tusks compared to their savanna cousins. Unfortunately, they are critically endangered due to poaching for ivory and habitat destruction caused by logging and agriculture.