Wildlife

African Elephant Welfare During Drought

Prolonged drought causes severe welfare impacts for African elephants, including starvation, dehydration, family separation, and calf mortality across savannah ecosystems.

Key Facts

African savannah elephant numbers fell 30% in seven years to 2016
Drought can kill entire family groups within weeks
Elephants walk up to 80 km per day to find water in drought
Calves under two are most vulnerable to dehydration
Climate change is increasing drought frequency and severity

Welfare Considerations

Drought creates acute welfare emergencies: calves become too weak to follow herds, adults develop foot injuries on cracked substrates, and nutritional stress suppresses immune function. Matriarchs carry knowledge of distant water sources, meaning loss of older females worsens group resilience. Welfare-led responses include water provisioning and rescue operations.

What You Can Do

Support Kenya Wildlife Service water trucking programmes
Donate to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphan care
Advocate for climate action to reduce drought frequency
Support habitat corridor protection for elephant movement