An international team of researchers announced on Apr. 16 the results of the largest genomic study of African elephants to date, analyzing 232 whole genomes from both savanna and forest elephants across 17 African countries. The study, published in Nature Communications, is the first large-scale genetic research since African elephants were recognized as two distinct species.
The findings highlight growing concerns over elephant populations becoming isolated due to hunting, human population growth, agriculture, and infrastructure development. Researchers found genetic signs of isolation in several herds that have been cut off from others by these factors.
“Our study shows that until recently, elephants have been connected across vast distances. This freedom of movement has created genetic robustness because the populations have intermingled. Today, the picture is different. Elephants are living in a world where space is more and more restricted and some populations are becoming isolated,” said Patrícia Pečnerová, assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen and Lund University.
The research identified high levels of inbreeding and low genetic variation among small elephant populations in remote areas such as Eritrea and Ethiopia. These groups are surrounded by human settlements and agricultural land with little chance for contact with other herds. In West Africa, similar patterns were observed due to dense human populations and a history shaped by ivory trade; however, some savanna elephants retained greater genetic diversity through hybridization with forest elephants.
Alfred Roca of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign cautioned about conservation efforts involving hybrid animals: “By reconstructing their genomic history, we found that savanna and forest elephants followed very different population trajectories over the last four million years… Given this history, gene flow between the species is unlikely to be beneficial, and hybrid elephants should be avoided for translocations.” Roca added that while connectivity limited regional differentiation among savanna elephant populations historically, “there were sufficient genetic differences across southern, eastern, and west-central Africa to suggest that translocations across regions should be avoided.”
Chris Thouless from Save the Elephants described evidence of recent inbreeding as concerning given ongoing threats like poaching: “The evidence of inbreeding in isolated and depleted savanna elephant populations is a matter of concern…” He also noted ancient hybridization between species extends further than previously known.
In southern Africa’s Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), researchers observed genetically diverse elephant herds thanks to landscape connectivity allowing movement between protected areas. Pečnerová said: “Elephants are extremely intelligent animals that can live close to humans… But one of the most important forces for their evolution is that genes can move between populations.” She emphasized protecting landscapes alongside animal populations.
Charles Masembe and Vincent Muwanika from Makerere University said: “Our findings provide important insights into the genetic health and connectivity of elephant populations on the African continent… By integrating genomics into conservation education and planning, we can better safeguard elephant populations for future generations.”
The University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences supports related research through its Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station on campus according to its official website. The college also maintains a high freshman retention rate at 96% along with a four-year graduation rate at 78%, offers $3.8 million annually in scholarships supporting students’ studies abroad opportunities exceeding 400 programs globally according to its official website. Its extension services promote social well-being through nutrition programs as reported by its official website, aiming overall to advance knowledge for global benefit according to its official website.
