EXAM PRACTICE 3
Elephants – extinct by 2020?
A Conservationists warn that elephant numbers are falling at such an alarming rate that they could be extinct by the end of the
decade. At the start of the twentieth century, there were a few million African elephants and about 100,000 Asian elephants, but
today it is estimated that there are only 450,000–700,000 African elephants and 35,000–40,000 Asian elephants. African and Asian
elephants are two distinct species. African elephants live in countries south of the Sahara desert and in the rainforests of west and
central Africa. They are massive, with large, fan-shaped ears. Asian elephants are found in India, China and much of south-east
Asia. They are much smaller than African elephants, with ears that are straight at the bottom.
B Such a rapid reduction in the number of elephants is alarming because these animals help to maintain ecosystems for other
species and are fundamental to biodiversity. It is said that elephants are a ‘keystone’ species in Africa, which means that they play
a very important role in the survival of other animal and plant species. For example, elephants pull down trees and break up
bushes, which creates grassland for other animals to use, and many plant species are dependent on passing through an elephant’s
digestive system before they can germinate.
C So why have elephant numbers fallen so rapidly over the last 100 years and what is being done to deal with the problem?
Poaching remains the greatest danger to elephants, as the ivory trade continues to boom in some parts of the world. In fact, as
elephants become rarer, the price of and demand for ivory are increasing. In 1989, an international trade ban on ivory was
introduced, which was very successful in reducing poaching in the 1990s. But since that success, there has been less enforcement
of the laws and the amount of poaching has increased again. Governments around the world are trying to tackle the issue – a
number of countries have destroyed their stores of ivory that have been taken from smugglers to try to discourage the illegal ivory
trade. In addition, DNA analysis of ivory is being used to find out exactly which herds are being targeted by poachers, so law
enforcement can be focused on the areas where they live.
D Elephants are also losing their natural habitat because of conflict with the human population. Expanding villages, towns and
cities, plantation development, and the building of infrastructure such as roads and canals are all reducing the amount of space
available to elephants. Wildlife managers and local communities are being trained so that they can find a way to live alongside
elephants without destroying their natural habitat.
1 Read the text and mark the sentences true or false. Provide evidence from the text to justify your answers.cd
1 Over the last century, African elephant numbers have declined but Asian elephant numbers have increased. False
At the start of the twentieth century, there were a few million African elephants and about 100,000 Asian elephants, but today it
is estimated that there are only 450,000–700,000 African elephants and 35,000–40,000 Asian elephants.
2 Some plant species would not exist without elephants.
and many plant species are dependent on passing through an elephant’s digestive system before they can germinate.
3 Elephant poaching is not as bad now as it was in the 1990s.
2 Explain the meanings of these expressions from the text.cd
1 fundamental to biodiversity
...................................................................................................
2 (be) dependent on
...................................................................................................
3 tackle the issue
...................................................................................................
3. Summary of the text
