African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) status report 2024

This is the sixth African Elephant Status Report (AESR) produced by the African Elephant Specialist Group (AFESG) of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC). Like its predecessors, this report is based on data from the African Elephant Database (AED). Since the 2016 African Elephant Status Report was published, the IUCN Species Survival Commission has recognized two distinct species of African elephants – the African forest elephant, Loxodonta cyclotis, and the African savanna elephant, Loxodonta africana. For the first time, this report provides information on the status of African forest elephants treated separately from savanna elephants, with a separate report on the latter species to be published in 2026.