Elephants require enormous quantities of water daily and are acutely vulnerable to droughts, which can cause death from dehydration, nutritional stress, and inter-group conflict over scarce resources.
The suffering of elephants during severe droughts is substantial and documented. Calves who cannot keep pace with herd movements to water sources are abandoned and die slowly from dehydration. Elderly elephants with worn teeth struggle to meet nutritional needs when vegetation is sparse and dry. The psychological stress of resource scarcity on complex, emotionally sophisticated animals like elephants adds a dimension of suffering beyond the physical. Emergency water provisioning by conservation organizations during extreme droughts can save hundreds of elephants, representing a direct welfare intervention with immediate impact.