– A Fragile Refuge for Forest Elephants –

While the rainforest of Lopé National Park in central Gabon is one of the last safe havens for the critically endangered African Forest Elephant, scientists warm that climate change is disrupting the yield of fruit trees, a critical food source for many larger mammals. The research revealed a significantly decreased body condition of forest elephants due to a staggering 81% decrease in fruit production in Lopé's forests during the past 30 years.

Fruit famine in one of the last strongholds for African forest elephants should raise concern about the ability of this species and other fruit-dependent megafauna to persist in the long term, with potential consequences for broader ecosystem and biosphere functioning. This story is a reminder that even where direct human pressures are low, plant and animal communities may not be protected from the creeping influences of the Anthropocene.