The discussion on Biodiversity cannot be complete without highlighting keystone species. A keystone species is an organism that helps define an entire ecosystem. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Without key stone species our Biodiversity will become half with in a year.

Through this article I want to highlight one of the important  keystone species that is Elephant. Their consumption of plants helps control the physical and biological aspects of an ecosystem.

In African savannas such as the Serengeti plains in Tanzania, elephants are a keystone species. Elephants eat shrubs and small trees, such as acacia, that grow on the savanna. Even if an acacia tree grows to a height of a meter or more, elephants are able to knock it over and uproot it. This feeding behavior keeps the savanna a grassland and not a forest or woodland. 

With elephants to control the tree population, grasses thrive and sustain grazing animals such as antelopes, wild beasts, and zebras. Smaller animals such as mice and shrews are able to burrow in the warm, dry soil of a savanna. Predators such as lions and hyenas depend on the savanna for prey. 

nationalgeographic.org

Since 1986, Elephants have been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years. The species is primarily threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.

Sri Lanka is known for Elephant Orphanages. The country has about 5,500 wild elephants on the island. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was founded in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation.

 In my visit to an elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka in 2017, I sharply observed the elephants behavior and the way they are being taken care of there. I saw the elephants were being fed and the keepers cleaning the water troughs and refilling them.  it was so lovely to see them being washed and playing in the river spraying water over each other. I was surprised  to see feet of chained elephants had no cuts or sores. It seemed Elephants are very well taken care of in these orphanages.

Elephant Orphanages of Sri Lanka are perfect inspiration to save such an important keystone species. Extreme commercialization has brought  this mammal on the brink of endangered species list. We have to look for compatible method of conservaton and commercialization of Elephants.