A bird flies over a family of elephants walking in the Amboseli National Park, southeast of Kenya's capital Nairobi, 25 April 2016. Reuters/Thomas Mukoya/File Photo Researchers unveiled on Monday, 11 November, what they called the most comprehensive ...

African elephant numbers have declined by up to 90% over the last 50 years, reveals new research. Poaching and habitat loss have driven widespread dramatic declines in the iconic species - but some areas have seen "rapid" growth, say scientists. It is difficult to measure exact numbers and monitor changes across the entire continent.

Savanna elephants have declined by about 70% and forest elephants by about 90% on average in the surveyed sites.

Habitat loss and poaching have driven dramatic declines in African elephants, but it is challenging to measure their numbers and monitor changes across the entire continent. A new study has analyzed 53 years of population survey data and found large-scale declines in most populations of both species of African elephants.