When it comes to restoring and maintaining the natural balance of the ecosystem, few animals are as influential as the African elephant. While their towering presence and intelligence often steal the spotlight, elephants play a critical role in shaping their environment—thanks to their impressive eating habits and, ultimately, their manure (dung).
Acting as a natural fertiliser, seed disperser, and food source for countless organisms, elephant dung is vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems across Africa.
The Power of an Elephant’s Diet
African elephants are power-grazers and massive consumers, eating between 150–300 kg (330–660 lbs) of vegetation every single day. Their diet consists of grasses, leaves, bark, roots, and fruit, which they gather using their powerful trunks. Alongside this, they drink an astonishing 100–200 litres (26–53 gallons) of water daily, particularly in warmer climates.
However, despite their enormous intake, elephants have a relatively inefficient digestive system, only processing about 40%–50% of what they consume. This means that elephant dung is packed with nutrient-rich, undigested plant material and water, making it a crucial element in maintaining the health of ecosystems.
Every pile of elephant dung is essentially a mini compost heap, replenishing the environment in multiple ways. And, as elephants travel far distances in search of food and water sources, their dung effectively disperses water and nutrients over large areas—creating the perfect start to life for seeds and other small organisms.
Elephant Dung: Nature’s Ultimate Fertiliser
Elephant dung acts as an essential fertiliser, keeping Africa’s soil nutrient-dense. As these animals roam across vast territories—sometimes covering over 50 km (30 miles) per day—they leave behind droppings loaded with nitrogen, phosphorus, and other key nutrients.
These elements enrich the soil, promoting plant growth and supporting the diverse flora that forms the foundation of many African ecosystems.
Additionally, elephants’ high water consumption means their dung is moisture-rich, which helps retain water in arid environments, preventing soil from drying out too quickly. In regions prone to drought, this can be a lifeline for plant life and the animals that depend on it.
The Ultimate Seed Dispersers
One of the most critical roles elephants play is in seed dispersal. Many plants and trees, including iconic species like the baobab, acacia, and marula, rely almost entirely on elephants to spread their seeds.
These seeds often pass through an elephant’s gut, where they are softened by stomach acids, increasing their chances of germination. Once excreted, these seeds land in a nutrient-rich, ready-made compost pile (elephant manure), giving them the best possible conditions to grow.
Research has shown that some seeds dispersed by elephants can travel up to 65 km (40 miles) from their source before being deposited, helping expand natural food sources and maintain biodiversity. Without elephants, many tree and plant species would struggle to reproduce and spread.
Which Creatures Benefit from Elephant Dung?
Elephant dung provides an abundant food source for a variety of creatures, forming the base of an often-overlooked food chain.
Dung Beetles
These industrious insects are perhaps the most famous beneficiaries. They use elephant dung for food and as breeding chambers, helping to break it down and recycle its nutrients back into the soil. Some species can roll dung balls 50 times their body weight, making them the strongest insect on earth.
Birds & Primates
Many birds and primates, including baboons and hornbills, pick through elephant dung in search of undigested seeds, fruits, and insects.
Termites & Other Insects
Elephant dung often attracts termites and other insects, which further contribute to decomposition and aerate the soil, making it healthier for plant growth.
Small Mammals
Some small rodents even use dung piles as shelters, finding protection from predators in these nutrient-rich deposits.
Read More: Eco Synergy Systems and Karoo Waste Management Project (ARC)
Humans and Elephant Dung: A Surprising Resource
Elephant dung isn’t just beneficial for the wild—it has also been used by humans for centuries. Across Africa, it is widely recognised as a natural fertiliser for crops and veld regeneration, enriching the soil with essential nutrients.
Traditional African communities have long harnessed its versatility, using dried elephant dung as a building material for huts and flooring due to its insulating and durable properties. Beyond construction and agriculture, elephant dung is even believed to have medicinal properties.
Some traditional healers use it to treat skin conditions like eczema, while others burn dried dung and inhale the smoke as a natural remedy for sinus infections and headaches. Its antibacterial and fibrous properties have made it a valuable component in traditional African medicine, showcasing just how resourceful nature can be.
Restoring the Karoo: How Conservationists Are Using Elephant Dung
In South Africa’s semi-arid Karoo region, conservationists are taking inspiration from nature and using elephant dung to restore the environment and regenerate the landscape.
Karoo game reserves like Aquila Private Game Reserve and Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve, in partnership with the veld regeneration project led by the eco-synergy systems at ARC (Animal Rescue Centre), are harnessing the power of elephant dung to fertilise degraded soil and restore the Karoo’s natural habitat.
By introducing nutrient-rich elephant dung into depleted landscapes, these reserves are actively working to restore natural vegetation, increase biodiversity, and create a sustainable habitat for wildlife to thrive once more. This initiative is helping to reverse desertification and bring life back to areas that were previously unable to sustain wildlife.
“Are the trees knocked over by elephants near the end of their lives, their roots loose like the roots of an old tooth? When a tree is pushed over, 90% of the wood is consumed by termites and returned to the ecosystem, for everything eats termites, including man”
Dance of the Dung Beetles (2019), Daily Maverick
A Keystone Species: Elephants as Environmental Architects
Elephants are keystone species, meaning their presence directly influences the survival of countless other organisms. In areas where elephant populations have declined, scientists have observed a noticeable decrease in plant diversity and soil fertility, underscoring their importance. Their dung is just one of the many ways they help shape and restore the landscape:
- By trampling dense vegetation, they create open spaces that allow smaller animals to thrive.
- Their dung ensures constant nutrient cycling, helping to prevent soil depletion.
- Through seed dispersal, they encourage forest regeneration and biodiversity.
Why Learning About Elephant Dung Matters
While it might not be the most glamorous part of conservation and land restoration, elephant dung is essential to the health and longevity Africa’s ecosystems. It fertilises the soil, disperses seeds, provides food and shelter for countless creatures, and helps keep landscapes thriving.
In places like the Karoo, where conservation efforts are working to restore natural habitats, elephant dung is playing a key role in bringing back biodiversity and creating a future where wildlife can thrive.
So next time you see an elephant in the wild, remember—every step they take and every pile they leave behind is helping to sustain life across Africa.
