Scienceenvironment
Elephants continue to shape the savanna even after death
Elephants play a monumental role in shaping the African savanna while alive, consuming vast amounts of forage and altering the landscape. However, recent ecological studies examine how their outsized presence persists long after they pass away. Even in death, elephant carcasses provide vital resources and structural impacts that ripple across the entire ecosystem, supporting various scavengers and altering nutrient distribution.