Africa ’s legendary wildlife—the elephants, rhinos, lions, and other megafauna that once shaped the continent’s landscapes—no longer power nature’s engines as they once did. Oxford-led researchers report a dramatic loss of ecological energy. This energy drives fundamental processes like nutrient cycling, seed dispersal, and ecosystem resilience.
Their findings, published in Nature, show that Africa is now running on less than two-thirds of its historic energy. This is a warning signal for biodiversity. It also affects the societies that depend on healthy wild landscapes.
Measuring “Ecosystem Energetics” Across Africa
The team used a cutting-edge “ecosystem energetics” approach, tracing energy flows from sunlight captured by plants to birds and mammals across forests, savannas, and deserts.
Combining six ecological datasets and local expert knowledge, they mapped more than 3,000 bird and mammal species over 317,000 landscapes. This method provided a new Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa, and offered the first truly physical measure of ecosystem vitality.
Megafauna Extinction Has Shattered Core Functions
Beyond just numbers, the loss of large-bodied animals has dismantled critical ecosystem duties. Species like elephants, rhinos, and lions are ecological engineers, shaping everything from plant growth to water cycles. Their dwindling populations have transformed food webs: rodents and small birds now dominate energy flow, but cannot replace the unique roles of megafauna. Without these giants, entire forest structures shift, fire regimes change, and nutrient transport declines, destabilizing the continent’s natural systems.
“Restoration Isn’t Just About Counts—It’s About Bringing Back What Megafauna Do”
Dr Ty Loft, lead author, explains that restoration succeeds only if the functional role of wildlife returns. The new energetics framework gives conservationists and policymakers a concrete way to measure which ecosystem processes are recovering and which remain at risk.
In Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, for example, antelopes are rebounding. However, replacing elephants and buffalo does not restore historic ecosystem strength. Restoration success means prioritizing the return of species that power resilience and maintain landscape balance.
Risks to Biodiversity, Livelihoods, and Global Targets
Large mammals help limit wildfires, maintain grasslands, and move nutrients—tasks smaller species or livestock cannot perform. Their loss affects food webs significantly. It threatens water security and reduces the land’s ability to support farming. It also impacts ecotourism and local livelihoods.
The Oxford study links lost animal energy directly to weakened carbon, water, and nutrient cycling, raising alarms about Africa’s ability to meet conservation and climate goals. With COP30 and the Global Biodiversity Framework on the horizon, energy-based biodiversity metrics may help shape smarter, evidence-driven policies worldwide.
Mapping the Path Forward: Tools for Policy, Restoration, and Community Success
The research calls for nature-based recovery strategies tailored to restoring ecosystem energy—bringing back the vital functions that megafauna uniquely supply. New metrics allow governments, businesses, and conservation groups to track real ecosystem health and prioritize interventions with meaningful benefits for nature and people. By understanding energy flow, practitioners can better predict the effects of species reintroductions, prevent unwanted ecological shifts, and build resilience for generations to come.
Global Lessons: What Africa’s Story Means for the World
As the planet faces accelerating biodiversity loss, Oxford’s new study underscores that saving large animals is not a local or aesthetic choice—it’s fundamental to the biosphere’s entire stability.
Declining animal energy flow connects everything from climate to human health, food security, and global sustainability. Restoring—and measuring—these flows is now a priority for countries searching for effective, lasting solutions.
