sources: 17019

{
    "link": "https://www.iucn.org/commissions/ssc-groups/mammals/specialist-groups-a-e/asian-elephant; https://www.iucn.org/ssc-groups/mammals/african-elephant-specialist-group/african-elephant-database",
    "retrievedDate": "19th August 2019",
    "additionalInfo": "Data on elephant populations was gathered on two species: the African elephant, and the Asian elephant.\n\nAfrican elephant population data was primarily gathered from the African Elephant Database. Available at: https://www.iucn.org/ssc-groups/mammals/african-elephant-specialist-group/african-elephant-database. This database is maintained by the IUCN SSC African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG) and Great Elephant Census. National data is available in its African Elephant Status reports: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7a8w3kk6r9hzm0r/AfESG%20African%20Elephant%20Status%20Report%202016.pdf?dl=1.\n\nPrior to 2013, this data was collected and reported on the basis of the DPPS method, where estimates were given as 'Definite', 'Probable', 'Possible' and 'Speculative'. In its 2013 and 2015 estimates, this method was simplified and changed to 'Estimates' and 'Guesses'. To provide comparative statistics over time, here we have taken historical data coded as 'Definite' to be equivalent to estimated elephant populations. In 2013 and 2015 data (which is given by both methods for comparison), these figures are comparable; this therefore seems like a reasonable assumption. It may however introduce some additional uncertainty.\n\nLong historical estimates for Africa are taken from the Great Elephant Census: http://www.greatelephantcensus.com/background-on-conservation.\n\nFigures for some countries on 'carcass ratio' are also provided. The carcass ratio is the number of  dead elephants observed during \nthe count, as a percentage of the total population. Carcass ratios of more than 8 percent are considered to indicate poaching at a high enough level to cause a declining population.\n\nAsian elephant population data is sourced primarily from the Asian Elephant Specialist Group (AsESG); UN FAO and national records. Latest estimates are available here: https://www.asesg.org/PDFfiles/2017/AsERSM%202017_Final%20Report.pdf\n\nThese have been supplemented with longer records for Nepal (http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e0e.htm); China (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0124834); Vietnam (http://www.fao.org/3/ad031e/ad031e0f.htm); and India (https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/23637/7/07_chapter%201.pdf).\n\nTime-series estimates of total Asian elephant populations are not widely available. The IUCN estimates there were around 100,000 at the start of the 20th century. Today that figure is around 45,000. Source: http://wwf.panda.org/knowledge_hub/endangered_species/elephants/asian_elephants/.\n\n",
    "dataPublishedBy": "IUCN SSC African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG); Asian Elephant Specialist Group (AsESG) & other sources"
}